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.

Monday, December 29, 2008

December 29, 2008

News

Corruption
Nearly 5,000 Officials Punished for Corruption
Associated Press (available at YahooNews), December 26, 2008
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081226/ap_on_re_as/as_china_corruption

Death Penalty
New Rule Allows Stays of Execution
China Daily, December 27, 2008
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-12/27/content_7346373.htm

China's Capital Cases Still Secret, Arbitrary
Washington Post, December 24, 2008
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/23/AR2008122302795.html

Disasters
17 Killed in Steel Plant Gas Leak
Shanghai Daily, December 25, 2008
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200812/20081225/article_385814.htm

Environment
50b Yuan for River Cleanup
South China Morning Post, December 25, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=04567fc03896e110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Food Security
Chinese Dairies Say They'll Compensate Melamine Victims
International Herald Tribune, December 28, 2008
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/12/28/asia/china.php

Related News
患儿律师:三鹿赔偿不够且不透明 (Lawyer for Sanlu Victims Says Compensation
Insufficient and Lacking Transparency)
BBC, December 28, 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_7800000/newsid_7802100/7802101.stm

China Puts 6 on Trial in Tainted Milk Scandal
Reuters, December 26, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSPEK29215120081226

Related News
Ex-head of China Milk-Powder Firm Could Face Death Penalty: Lawyer
Agence France-Presse (available at YahooNews), December 26, 2008
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081226/wl_afp/chinafoodsafetylawchild

Toxic Melamine Is Suspected in Seafood from China
Los Angeles Times, December 24, 2008
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/asia/la-fi-melamine24-2008dec24,0,6856118.story

Government
山西中阳县认为持枪杀人案与村委换届无直接关系 (Murder in Shanxi Believed to Be Connected to Village Election)
Xinhuanet, December 29, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2008-12/25/content_10555728.htm

山西村官胁迫选民 一千多村民求救 (Shanxi Village Official Threatens Voters, One Thousand Villagers Appeal for Help)
Radio Free Asia, December 29, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/san-12282008172520.html

Hong Kong
Hong Kong Cardinal to Retire Next Year
Associated Press (available at YahooNews), December 25, 2008
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081225/ap_on_re_as/as_hong_kong_china_cardinal

Labor
Top Global Firms Accused of Double Standards over Unions
South China Morning Post, December 25, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=42467fc03896e110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Law
Law Sets Code for Safe, Quake-Proof Schools
Shanghai Daily, December 29, 2008
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=386192

Related News
Many Schools Still Unsafe in Quake Aftermath, China Says
International Herald Tribune, December 26, 2008
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/12/26/asia/china.php

杭州规定网络谣言散布者最高罚1.5万 (New Regulation in Hangzhou Sets Fines for Spreading Rumors Online)
Xinhuanet, December 29, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2008-12/25/content_10556757.htm

Media
Crackdown Ordered on Trashy TV
Shanghai Daily, December 25, 2008
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200812/20081225/article_385808.htm

Protests and Petitions
签署零八宪章四川人士遭传唤 张祖桦被严密监控 (Charter 08 Signers Summoned to Court, Zhang Zuhua under Watch)
Radio Free Asia, December 29, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/xianzhang-12262008085943.html

福建蒲田二千名村民状告温家宝不作为 (2000 Fujian Villagers File Lawsuit against Wen Jiabao)
Radio Free Asia, December 26, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/zhengdi-12262008085448.html

State Security
China Says Man Confessed to Bus Bombings
New York Times, December 29, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/29/world/asia/29china.html

Related News
昆明公交爆炸案告破 凶手对社会不满总想报复 (Kunming Bus Bomber Dissatisfied with
Society, Sought Revenge)
Xinhuanet, December 29, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2008-12/28/content_10569224.htm

15 Die in Blast Set Off by Cache of Detonators
Shanghai Daily, December 28, 2008
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=386180

Related News
河南濮阳爆炸事故基本排除人为破坏的可能 (Police Rule Out Intent to Harm in Henan
Explosion)
EastDay.com, December 29, 2008
http://news.eastday.com/c/20081227/u1a4073348.html

Tibet
China Arrests 59 in Tibet for Rumour-spreading-State Media
Reuters (available at YahooNews), December 29, 2008
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081224/wl_nm/us_china_tibet

China Invested Record Amount in Tibet in 2008: State Media
Agence France-Presse (available at Google News), December 29, 2008
http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=824181