January 13 - 15, 2007

Top News of the Day
Human Rights Defender - Chen Guangcheng (陈光诚)
Rights Activist's 4-Year Sentence Upheld by Chinese Appeals Court
Washington Post, January 13, 2007
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/200
7/01/12/AR2007011201928.htmldyn/content/article/2007/01/12/
AR2007011201928.html
On January 12, blind activist Chen Guangcheng lost his appeal against a jail sentence of more than four years. The Linyi City Intermediate Court in Shandong Province upheld the conviction handed down in August on charges of damaging public property and inciting a mob to disrupt traffic. His lawyer vowed to continue appealing the case to the Chinese legislature, the Supreme Court or the Beijing government. In the meantime, he hopes that Chen can be allowed to serve his time outside prison because of his blindness.

Human Rights Defender - Li Hong (力虹)
异见作家力虹案闭门审讯　当局黑箱作业遭质疑 (Closed Trial for Dissident Writer Li Hong Criticized)
Radio Free Asia, January 12, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/01/12/lihong/
The closed trial for dissident writer Li Hong, who was charged with inciting subversion for posting essays on the Internet, concluded in just two hours in Ningbo on January 12, but no verdict was announced. Sources said that his lawyer was asked not to receive media interviews, so he could not be contacted to confirm reports. The government’s handling of this case has been sharply criticized as another attack on the right to free speech in China.

News
Children
中国城市流浪儿童数目日益增多 (Number of Homeless Children in China's Cities Increases)
Radio Free Asia, January 12, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/01/12/children/

Death Penalty
In Brief: Suspended Death Sentence for Corrupt Party Official
South China Morning Post, January 15, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZR75E9TWE.html

Environment
EU Seeking Big Cuts in Greenhouse Emissions
South China Morning Post, January 15, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZC3O8ETWE.html

June 4th
六四诗集待出版 淮南查缴何太急 (Local Government in Anhui Tries to Seize Draft of Poetry Book on June 4th)
Voice of America, January 15, 2007
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2007-01-15-voa2.cfm

Labor
Behind the Bright Lights, a Darker Side of Shanghai
South China Morning Post, January 13, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZPFL8ETWE.html

Land Policy
Land-Protection Policy Meaningless, Says Villager
South China Morning Post, January 15, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ0KT6ETWE.html

Families Forced out in the Cold
South China Morning Post, January 14, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZLAN8ETWE.html

Law
Disabled Scooters Take Place of Banned Motorbike Taxis
South China Morning Post, January 15, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ38S6ETWE.html

Media
国情咨询网被第十三次关闭 (Democracy Website Shut Down for the 13th Time)
Radio Free Asia, October 12, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/01/12/net/

中国博客数量达2080万 (Number of Chinese Bloggers Reaches 20.8 Million)
Radio Free Asia, January 12, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/01/12/blog/

记者被寻仇 殴到脑积血 (Guangzhou Journalist Severely Beaten, May Be Linked to Complaint to TV Station)
Apple Daily, January 15, 2007
http://appledaily.atnext.com/template/apple/art_main.cfm?iss_id=2
0070115&sec_id=15335&subsec_id=15336&art_id=6716213335&sub
sec_id=15336&art_id=6716213

Protests and Petitions
广西桂平农民环境维权7人被正式逮捕 (Seven Guangxi Environmental Protestors Formally Arrested)
Radio Free Asia, October 14, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/01/14/guangxi/

Villa Owners Plan to Protest in HK
South China Morning Post, January 15, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ065E9TWE.html

福建莆田农民申请大游行 (Fujian Farmers Apply to Demonstrate over Court's Inaction on Land Grab Lawsuit)
Radio Free Asia, January 12, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/01/12/fujian/

Public Health
广州每年百名大学生被送进精神病院（一） (100 Guangzhou University Students Sent to Psychiatric Hospitals Every Year (Part 1))
Radio Free Asia, January 13, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/01/13/guangzho
u/

Religion
In Brief: Two of Nine Underground Clergymen Released
South China Morning Post, January 15, 2007
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZIM3E9TWE.html