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.

Thursday, March 06, 2008

March 6, 2008

Top News of the Day
Human Rights Defenders - Guo Feixiong (郭飞雄)
郭飞雄妻子张青,于绝食抗议日,致全国两会公开信 (Zhang Qing, Wife of Guo Feixiong, Submits Open Letter to Two Congresses)
Radio Free Asia, March 05, 2008
Guo Feixiong's (郭飞雄) wife, Zhang Qing (张青), has issued an open letter to the NPC and CPPCC. The letter demands that the Chinese Government abolish the Reeducation-Through-Labor system and that it abolish the use of electric shock batons on genitals to torture detainees or suspects. Zhang adds that she is currently on a hunger strike. Guo, a human rights defender and legal advisor who had been involved in numerous controversial cases, was sentenced to five years in prison in November 2007.

Related information:
HRIC Press Advisory: Guo Feixiong’s Wife issues
Statement on the Decision Not to Appeal
http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/45706


News
Civil Society
Gov't Officials Told to Facilitate Supervision from Public Members
Xinhuanet, March 05, 2008

Hukou
维权律师上书人大要求修订岐视农村户籍的法律 (Humans Rights Lawyer Demands that NPC Amend Discriminatory Rural Household Registration Laws)
Radio Free Asia, March 05, 2008

Human Rights Defenders - Liu Jie (刘杰)
刘杰申请行政诉讼不予立案 (Liu Jie Not Granted Filing for Administrative Suit)
Radio Free Asia, March 05, 2008

Human Rights Defenders - Yao Lifa (姚立法), Zhang Xianling (张先玲)
姚立法、张先玲两会期间被软禁 (Yao Lifa and Zhang Xianling Under House Arrest During Two Congresses)
Radio Free Asia, March 05, 2008

Land Policy
成都警方凌晨进入太平村强拆民房 (Chengdu Police Forcible Evict Taiping, Chengdu Homes in Pre-Dawn Raid)
Radio Free Asia, March 05, 2008

Media
“爱知行动”的网站被公安局关闭 (Website of Beijing AIDS Action Group, Aizhixing, Closed by Police)
Radio Free Asia, March 05, 2008

Freed Reporter Gets to Cover Congress
South China Morning Post, March 06, 2008

Journalists Frustrated by Red Tape in Access to Ministers
South China Morning Post, March 06, 2008

Olympics
China Gears up for Faithful during the Games
Reuters, March 05, 2008

Population
Bid to Clarify One-Child Policy
South China Morning Post, March 06, 2008

Protests and Petitions
经租户代表王季勇被关押 (Housing Petitioner Wang Jiyong Arrested)
Radio Free Asia, March 05, 2008

江西维权拆迁户被非法拘留 (Jiangxi Relocatees Illegally Detained to Halt Petitioning)
Radio Free Asia, March 05, 2008

两会期间上海当局暴力截访 (Shanghai Authorities Violently Stopping Petitioners During Two Congresses)
Radio Free Asia, March 05, 2008

深圳幼师进行“非暴力不合作”抗议 (Shenzhen Kindergarten Teachers Hold Nonviolent Protest)
Radio Free Asia, March 05, 2008

Public Health
Experts Doubt Financing of Public Hospitals
South China Morning Post, March 06, 2008

Religion
四名中国教徒因散发福音传单被拘留 (Four Detained for Distributing Christian Leaflets in Taizhou, Zhejiang)
Radio Free Asia, March 05, 2008