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, May 15, 2008

May 15, 2008

Top News
Human Rights Defender - Hu Jia (胡佳)

胡佳被转至天津服刑 友人担忧他的健康 (Hu Jia Transferred to Tianjin to Serve Sentence)
Radio Free Asia, May 14, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/hujia-05142008165235.html
On May 8, AIDS activist and human rights defender Hu Jia (胡佳) was transferred to Chaobai Prison in Tianjin to serve his sentence. His lawyer, Li Fangping (李方平), reports that he was only notified on May 14 that Hu had been transferred and did not know the reasoning behind it. A friend of Hu says that he is worried for Hu's health, as he suffers from liver disease and may be required to work. Hu's family, including his wife and daughter, are all in Beijing. On April 3, Hu was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment and one year's deprivation of his political rights. He stated in April that he would not challenge his verdict.

News
Disasters
AP Video Shows China Earthquake's First Moments
Associated Press (via YahooNews), May 14, 2008
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080515/ap_on_re_as/china_quake_video_9

China: Troops Rush to Plug Dam Cracks
Associated Press (via Google), May 14, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gmtn0INEnTPQUGVUN0DxH_rMLtdwD90LM7T80

公安部:警惕假借赈灾之名进行的诈骗活动 (Ministry of Public Security: Be Alert for Disaster Relief Frauds)
Xinhuanet, May 15, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-05/15/content_8173106.htm

Volunteers Flood in but China Quake Toll Rising
Christian Science Monitor, May 15, 2008
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0515/p01s05-woap.html

Economic Development
China Quake Shows Flaws in Building Boom
Associated Press (via Google), May 14, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j_Nr7J8L6HXwyi3dj7alpe9pgnDgD90LK6JO0

WTO: China Must Address Rich-Poor Gap
Associated Press (via Google), May 14, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i9Ey11Bv2DhxhggCoI9S7ApU4VsQD90KMD500

Human Rights Defender
成都自由撰稿人陈道军被警方拘留 (Freelance Writer Chen Daojun Detained by Chengdu Police on Suspicion of "Inciting Subversion of State Power")
Radio Free Asia, May 14, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/chendaojun-05142008165446.html

Law
深圳电子治安防控系统发生侵犯居民隐私权事件 (Shenzhen Video Monitoring System Infringement on Right to Privacy)
Radio Free Asia, May 14, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/yinsi-05142008111756.html

Media
Beijing Reins in Coverage of Quake
Financial Times, May 14, 2008
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e0b77a34-21e0-11dd-a50a-000077b07658.html

Media Edicts Recall China’s Maoist Past
Financial Times, May 14, 2008
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/19d30d9e-21df-11dd-a50a-000077b07658.html

齐崇淮案无证人出庭却被判四年 (Shandong Journalist Qi Chonghuai Sentenced to Four Years)
Radio Free Asia, May 14, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/qichonghuai-05142008104708.html

Politics
CPC to "Test" Officials through Performance in Disaster Relief: Senior Official
Xinhuanet, May 14, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-05/15/content_8173123.htm

Public Health
Beijing Reports First Child Death of Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease
Xinhua (via China Daily), May 14, 2008
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-05/14/content_6684791.htm

Rural Issues
Discovery of Copper Reserves Proves a Curse for the Displaced Farmers of Zhujia Village
South China Morning Post, May 15, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=eb066203e87e9110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Tibet
China Condemns Pro-"Tibet Independence" Protestors in Nepal for Being Unsympathetic
Xinhuanet, May 14, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-05/15/content_8172846.htm

Dalai Lama to Give Rights 'Evidence' in Britain
Agence France-Presse (via Google), May 14, 2008
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hytx2xG8dI6ISRWanbMbunE7omxg

Escaped Tibetan Rioter Tells of Chinese Repression
Agence France-Presse (via Google), May 14, 2008
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jgFoChs62YTIGdwrR_tXC1H-5z7w

Tibet Tourism Suffers Setbacks after Lhasa Violence
Xinhuanet, May 14, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-05/14/content_8169629.htm

藏川两地18名僧侣及尼姑被拘 (18 Tibetan Monks and Nuns Arrested in Sichuan and Tibet)
Radio Free Asia, May 14, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/zang-05142008132752.html