The HRIC Daily Brief is a daily selection of news stories and commentary related to human rights in China, drawn from Chinese- and English-language news and online media sources that we monitor daily. In addition to headlines and source links, HRIC also provides English translation of Chinese headlines.

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

October 9, 2007

Top News of the Day
Human Rights Defender - Yang Chunlin (杨春林)

China Land Activist Tortured in Prison
Associated Press (via YahooNews), October 08, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071008/ap_on_re_as/china
_activist_arrested_2;_ylt=Al_u
7ZeSAszkAVyweSRxLwRPzWQA
Heilongjiang land rights activist Yang Chunlin (杨春林), arrested on subversion charges in August after circulating a petition opposing the Beijing Olympics, was allegedly tortured in prison, his sister and a Hong Kong-based rights NGO said on October 8. A released inmate imprisoned with Yang told his sister that Yang’s arms and legs were stretched and chained to four corners of an iron bed. The rights group said victims subjected to this treatment would feel pain all over their bodies after a prolong period. Moreover, the sister said Yang had been forced to clean up the excrement of prisoners subjected to similar torture.

News
Corruption
Multinationals Caught in Web of Corruption
South China Morning Post, October 08, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62e
cb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0
a0/?vgnextoid=933ee986be
c75110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=China&s=News


Death Penalty
China Urged to Halt Executions Ahead of Olympics
Reuters (via YahooNews), October 09, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071009/wl_nm/china_
rights_dc_1;_ylt=Ank1NlRbqGTfdD
cVGaisl6JPzWQA

路人指责两小偷行窃惨遭杀害 主凶终被判死刑 (Pickpocket Sentenced to Death in Wuhan for Murdering Passerby Who Criticized His Criminal Behavior)
Xinhuanet, October 09, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2007-10/09/content_
6849683.htm


Environment
Inner Mongolia Grasslands Turning to Sand
Reuters (via YahooNews), October 08, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071008/lf_nm/desert_
china_dc_3;_ylt=Al3lPSWVqa1RGGDPEeUbm4JPzWQ
A
GDPEeUbm4JPzWQA

Food Security
Food Safety Struggle Bearing Fruit
Xinhuanet, October 09, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-10/09/content_
6849548.htm


Gender
女性进入政界渠道畅通 巾帼出掌中国重要部门 (Female Cadres Head Important Government Departments)
Xinhuanet, October 09, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2007-10/08/content_
6843707.htm


Scholars Struggle to Put Gay Marriage in Spotlight
China Daily, October 08, 2007
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-10/08/content_
6155820.htm


Government
成都温江社区选举出现舞弊 (Electoral Fraud Found in Localities in Chengdu, Sichuan)
Radio Free Asia, October 08, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/10/08/
chengdu/


Human Rights Defender - Yuan Weijing (袁伟静)
袁伟静多次要去看医生被拒绝阻挠 (Authorities Refuse Yuan Weijing's Repeated Requests to Visit Dentist)
Radio Free Asia, October 08, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/10/08/
yuanweijing/


Labor
Shenzhen Raises Minimum Pay
South China Morning Post, October 09, 2007
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62e
cb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=7e30ed597ff
75110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=China&s=News
a
0/?vgnextoid=7e30ed597ff75110VgnVCM100000360a0a0a
RCRD&ss=China&s=News


Media
滋病人交流平台“爱之方舟论坛”被关闭 (Online Forum on HIV/AIDS Shut Down Ahead of CPC Meeting)
Radio Free Asia, October 08, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2007/10/08/china_
internet/


Poverty
UN and ADB Joint Report: China Leads Way of Reducing Poverty
Xinhuanet, October 08, 2007
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-10/09/content_
6848511.htm


Protests and Petitions
十七大前万名上访者上书胡锦涛 (10,000 Petitioners Send Open Letter to Hu Jintao Ahead of CPC Meeting)
Radio Free Asia, October 08, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/10/08/
shangfang/


十一长假后截访继续 怀胎八月孕妇也行动受控 (Eight-Month Pregnant Beijing Rights Defender Barred from Leaving Home Ahead of CPC Meeting)
Radio Free Asia, October 08, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/10/08/
jiefang/


湖北村民集体抗污染 两人被捕老人被打 (Old Woman Beaten and Two Villagers Taken Away over Pollution Protest in Hubei)
Radio Free Asia, October 08, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/10/08/
wuran/


Public Health
中国乙肝携带者呼吁反教育领域乙肝歧视 (Hepatitis B Carriers Call for Non-Discrimination in Education)
Radio Free Asia, October 08, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/10/08/
yigan/


Religion
九名家庭教会成员遭劳教 关押中重病受虐打 (Nine Family House Church Members Sent to Reeducation-Through-Labor Facilities)
Radio Free Asia, October 08, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2007/10/08/
church/