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, April 24, 2008

April 24, 2008

Top News of the Day
Police
北京公安大举搜查.访民住宿的旅店 (Beijing Police Threaten Inns Housing Petitioners with Arrests and Fines)
Radio Free Asia, April 23, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/petitioner_beijing-04232008124534.html
Beijing police searched over 20 small inns around the South Railway Station on the evening of April 22, looking for petitioners. One petitioner told RFA that she and over ten other petitioners were notified by the proprietor of the inn that the police were coming and managed to escape; when the police found their rooms empty, they expropriated all of the petitioners' belongings. The petitioner also stated that two elderly women were also taken away by the police. The proprietors reportedly were told that they would be fined RMB 10,000 for housing any petitioners, and that further investigations would be carried out around Beijing beginning April 24. According to a Beijing rights activist, these searches have been on going since April 19.

News
Bilateral Ties
European Business Warns China on Boycott
Associated Press (via Google), April 23, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jMNGhV6BnbqFht8T9Tstkb9HHLeg
D907JHIO0


US Warns China of Backlash If No Dialogue with Dalai Lama
Agence France-Presse (available at YahooNews), April 23, 2008
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080423/pl_afp/tibetchinarightsus_
080423205702


Corruption
Anti-Graft Boss Took Millions in Bribes, Reports Say
South China Morning Post, April 24, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733
492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=97cf1aed03c79110VgnVCM100000360a0
a0aRCRD


Ex-housing Official on Trial for Bribery, Storing Ammunition
Shanghai Daily, April 23, 2008
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200804/20080423/
article_356952.htm


Environment
Rise in Funding Pledged to Tackle Climate Change
China Daily, April 24, 2008
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-04/24/content_6639413.htm

Land Policy
北京奥运钉子户准备舍身保家 (Beijing "Nail House" Resident Ready to Sacrifice His Life to Protect His Home)
Radio Free Asia, April 23, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/demolishing-04232008125953.html

Media
European Media to Put Freedom Vow to the Test
South China Morning Post, April 24, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733
492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=bc201aed03c79110VgnVCM100000360a0
a0aRCRD


阜阳“白宫”举报人蹊跷死亡调查 (Investigation into the Curious Death of Li Guofu, Detained Journalist Who Reported on Anhui's Luxurious Government Building)
China Youth Online, April 22, 2008
http://zqb.cyol.com/content/2008-04/22/content_2152901.htm

Olympics
Australian Police Tussle with Chinese Olympic Torch Escorts
Agence France-Presse (via Google), April 24, 2008
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gkxTVO-6rp4t4LnV2BmCwvl6R-Iw

China Says Ticket Sales Unaffected by Torch Protests
Reuters, April 23, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersComService_2_MOLT/
idUSPEK29881020080423


China's Everest Torch Plan Draw Journalists' Concerns
Associated Press (via Google), April 23, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hN6Mq4zTXgcs8x8
GNsYMOmMdJl6wD907O7UG0


拉萨多间旅行社组织汉人举行保护圣火爱国活动 (Lhasa Tour Groups Receive Government Permission to Organize Patriotic Rally of Han Chinese at the Potala Palace, Former Home of Dalai Lama, to Welcome and Protect)
Radio Free Asia, April 22, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/olympics_torch_tibet-
04222008120127.html


Seven Detained at Torch Relay in Australia
Reuters, April 23, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSSP11894820080423

圣火传递在即港多个团体表明示威抗议中国人权 (Several Groups Plan to Demonstrate against China's Human Rights Record during Hong Kong Torch Relay)
Radio Free Asia, April 23, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/aoyun-04232008090327.html

Vietnam Arrests Blogger for Reporting Torch Protests
Bangkok Post, April 24, 2008
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=127269

Protests and Petitions
十几名退伍军人中央军委上访被拘留数小时后释放 (Veterans Detained Several Hours for Petitioning to the Central Military Commission)
Reuters, April 23, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/junren-04232008085721.html

网民发起五一全国性大型示威活动 (Chinese Netizens Launch National Labor Day Demonstration)
Radio Free Asia, April 23, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/china_protest-04232008112208.html

Tibet
100 Volunteers Head for Himalayas
China Daily, April 24, 2008
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-04/24/content_6639632.htm

Dalai Lama Asks Chinese President to Allow Tibet Envoys, EU Urges Debate
Agence France-Presse (via Google), April 23, 2008
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5giLKlpIubCNJsouq78JZkeQdWkSg

Stay out of Tibet Issue, Diplomats and Experts Urge
Xinhuanet, April 23, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-04/23/content_8037571.htm