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.

Friday, January 18, 2008

January 18, 2008

Top News of the Day
Human Rights Defender - Yu Changwu (于长武)

Peasant Leader Given Two Years in Labour Camp
South China Morning Post, January 18, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af
62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0
a0/?vgnextoid=05f582
cf3b787110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=China&s=News

Representative of Heilongjiang land grab victims Yu Changwu (于长武) was sentenced to two years’ Reeducation-Through-Labor (RTL) on charges of endangering state security on January 17, 2008, according to Yu’s family. Yu and other lands rights activists in Fujin declared in November, 2007 that 966 hectares of land which was seized by the local government 13 years ago belonged to 900 villagers. However, Yu’s family reportedly said his sentence is not because of his land rights campaign but because he talked to foreign media. Dr Fu Hualing of the University of Hong Kong finds the sentence “ridiculous”, as an RTL sentence is only for minor offences, but endangering state security cannot be a minor offence.

News
Environment
Revised Criteria for "Green List"
China Daily (via Xinhuanet), January 18, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/18/content_
7443908.htm


Drinking Water System Failure Blamed for NE China Poisoning, Officials Punished
Xinhuanet, January 17, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/17/content_
7440514.htm


Food Security
Tests Reveal Toxic Delta Vegetables
South China Morning Post, January 18, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62e
cb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=852f9e408a8
87110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=Hong+Kong&s
=News


Human Rights Defender - Hu Jia (胡佳)
维权人士遭威胁 当局抓胡佳意在沛公? (After Hu Jia Being Taken Away, Authorities Threaten Other Rights Defenders)
Radio Free Asia, January 17, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/01/17/
hujia/


欧洲议会通过决议呼吁立即释放胡佳 (European Parliament Passes Resolution Demanding Immediate Release of Hu Jia)
Radio Free Asia, January 17, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2008/01/17/

网络各路声援胡佳夫妇 两聚焦博客同时被屏 (Internet Users Give Support to Hu Jia and His Wife; Authorities Shut Down Two Relevant Blogs)
Radio Free Asia, January 17, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/01/1
7/hu_jia/


Human Rights Defender - Lin Bingchang (林炳长)
温州洞头县维权代表林炳长被非法拘留 (Authorities in Dongtou County, Zhejiang Illegally Detain Rights Defender Lin Bingchang)
Radio Free Asia, January 17, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/01/17/
lin/


Human Rights Defender - Lü Gengsong (吕耿松)
被控作家吕耿松的家人仅得到两张旁听证 (Family of Writer Lü Gengsong Only Given Two Seats for Lu's Trial)
Radio Free Asia, January 17, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2008/01/17/china
_dissident_trail/


Human Rights Defender - Yang Chunlin (杨春林)
黑龙江当局加紧迫害富锦失地农民维权代表 (Heilongjiang Authorities Step Up Persecution of Land Rights Defenders)
Radio Free Asia, January 17, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2008/01/17/china
_rights_court/


Human Rights Defender - Zheng Enchong (郑恩宠)
上海维权律师郑恩宠连续两日遭公安传唤 (Shanghai Police Summon Zheng Enchong for Two Consecutive Days)
Radio Free Asia, January 17, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/xinwen/2008/01/17/china
_rights_lawyer/


Labor
Disgruntled Workers on the Move
China Daily (via Xinhuanet), January 18, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/18/content_
7444066.htm


新的《劳动合同法》为什么使得一些工厂倒闭?(Why Are Factories Shutting Down After the New Labor Contract Law Has Taken Effect?)
Radio Free Asia, January 17, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/01/
17/lao/


Land Policy
After Years of Planning, Work on High-Speed Railway to Begin at Last
South China Morning Post, January 18, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb32
9d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=a23682cf3b7871
10VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=China&s=News


Law
Chinese Court to Rehear Faulty ATM Case
Xinhuanet, January 17, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/17/content_
7441382.htm


Olympics
Order to Speed Up Water Scheme
South China Morning Post, January 18, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ec
b329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=207f18327c88711
0VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=China&s=News


德国讨论奥运期间保障记者报道安全顺利问题 (Conference in Berlin Discusses How to Protect Journalists' Reporting During The Olympics)
Radio Free Asia, January 17, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/01
/17/ji/


Police
天门事件再拷问:城管到底废不废? (Tianmen Incident Raises Discussion on Whether to Abolish Urban Management System)
Nanfang Weekend, January 17, 2008
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/southnews/zmzg/200801
170894.asp


Politics
赵紫阳逝世三周年家祭低调进行 成都维权人士公开派发纪念文章 (Family Holds Low-Profile Commemoration for Third Anniversary of Zhao Ziyang’s Death)
Radio Free Asia, January 17, 2007
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2008/01/17/

Protests and Petitions
福建访民到北京上访被截访 (Fujian Petitioners Detained in Beijing Hostel)
Radio Free Asia, January 17, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/01/17/
fujian/


Workers Riot at Maersk Factory in Southern China
Radio Free Asia, January 17, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/2008/01/17/china_riot/