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.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

June 25, 2008

Top News of the Day
Human Rights Defender - Huang Qi (黄琦)

当局以国家机密为名不准律师会见黄琦 (Chengdu Authorities Bar Lawyer from Meeting Huang Qi on State Secrets Grounds)
Radio Free Asia, June 24, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/rights_detain-06242008105500.html
On June 24, Chengdu authorities barred lawyer Ding Xikui (丁锡奎) from meeting his detained client rights defender Huang Qi (黄琦) on the grounds that Huang's case involves state secrets. Huang’s wife Zeng Li (曾丽) who went with Ding was also denied the visitation right. Meanwhile, Huang's landlord has asked Zeng and Huang’s mother to move out of their apartment, which had been rented by Huang's human rights organization.

Related Information
Case Update: Huang Qi Denied Access to Counsel
Human Rights in China, June 24, 2008
http://hrichina.org/public/contents/60742

因与黄琦有联系 成都村民被追捕 (Chengdu Authorities Try to Arrest Villagers for
Links with Huang Qi)
Radio Free Asia, June 23, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/chengdu-06232008105500.html


News
Disasters

China Quake Toll Likely to Exceed 80,000: Government
Agence France-Presse (available at YahooNews), June 24, 2008
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080624/wl_afp/chinaquaketoll

Chinese Vice Premier Outlines Eight-Year Plan for Quake Zone
Xinhuanet, June 24, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/24/content_8430528.htm

Human Rights
China to Ratify UN Convention on Disabled People
Xinhuanet, June 24, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/25/content_8432435.htm

Human Rights Defenders
布什在白宫会见三名中国维权人士 (President Bush Meets Three Chinese Rights Defenders at White House)
Radio Free Asia, June 24, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/us_china_humanrights-06242008104051.html

Labor
Chinese Researchers Say China's Labor Supply Drying Up
Voice of America, June 24, 2008
http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-06-24-voa8.cfm

Factories Staying Put in China
Asia Sentinel, June 23, 2008
http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1276&Itemid=32d=32

Land Policy
仅1%责任人被追究刑事责任 土地违法处罚为何遇官就软 (Only 1% of Officials Incur Criminal Liabilities for Illegal Land Use)
Legal Daily, June 25, 2008
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/0705/2008-06/25/content_885866.htm

上海维权人士促人大调查土地出让 (Shanghai Rights Defenders Urge National People's Congress to Investigate Land Sales)
Voice of America, June 24, 2008
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2008-06-24-voa43.cfm

Law
Chinese Legislators Meet, Deliberating Major Draft Laws, Amendments
Xinhuanet, June 24, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/24/content_8428658.htm

Media
北京禁邮寄影音制品 (Beijing Municipal Authorities Prohibits Postage of Audio-Visual Items)
Ming Pao, June 25, 2008
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20080625/caa1h.htm

Blockade of NGO Websites Seen as Pre-Olympics Crackdown
South China Morning Post, June 25, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=bdb20a5de5bba110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Beijing Orders Tighter Media Controls
Financial Times, June 24, 2008
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/bda7cc42-4206-11dd-a5e8-0000779fd2ac,dwp_uuid=9c33700c-4c86-11da-89df-0000779e2340.html

Multilateral Relations
China's Top Legislature to Ratify SCO Treaty
Xinhuanet, June 25, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/25/content_8432433.htm

Olympics
Shanghai Bars Dissidents from Speaking to Foreign Journalists
South China Morning Post, June 25, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=8f920a5de5bba110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Unsung Tourist Attractions and Energy Resources Bode Well for Shanxi's Future
South China Morning Post, June 25, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=d8420a5de5bba110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

China Holds Anti-Terror Drills in Tianjin ahead of Olympics
Xinhuanet, June 24, 2008
http://rss.xinhuanet.com/newsc/english/2008-06/24/content_8431110.htm

Olympic Flame Concludes Harmonious Journey in Qinghai of NW China
Xinhuanet, June 24, 2008
http://rss.xinhuanet.com/newsc/english/2008-06/24/content_8431257.htm

Olympic Venue Security Bolstered by Missile Launchers
Reuters, June 24, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersComService_2_MOLT/idUSPEK25645520080624

Tight Security in Western China
Radio Free Asia, June 24, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/torch-06242008163639.html

Related Information
Press Statement: Torch Relay in Tibet: Spectacle over Substance
Human Rights in China, June 20, 2008
http://hrichina.org/public/contents/58110

Protests and Petitions
黑龙江省双鸭山市出动全部警力截止近万名买断工人上访 (Heilongjiang Authorities Dispatch City's Entire Police Force to "Retrieve" 10,000 Petitioners)
Radio Free Asia, June 24, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shangfang-06242008085207.html

Tibet
Tibet to Reopen to Foreign Tourists Wednesday: State Media
Agence France-Presse (available at Google News), June 24, 2008
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gZGF04UfQHllOld8R4vdMwm2UFbA