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.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

January 21, 2009

News

Children
50 Youths Kidnapped, Taken to Myanmar
Shanghai Daily, January 21, 2009
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2009/200901/20090121/article_388778.htm

Corruption
Top Chinese Officials Held in Gome Graft Probe
Financial Times, January 20, 2009
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/36562980-e6ef-11dd-8407-0000779fd2ac.html

绵阳法院斥资6千多万兴建新办公大楼 (The Intermediate People's Court of Mianyang City, Sichuan Province Spend 60 mln on New Office Building)
Radio Free Asia, January 15, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/earthquake_government-01152009094952.html?encoding=simplified

Human Rights Defender - Yao Lifa (姚立法)
China Activist Disappears Before Obama Reception
China Post, January 21, 2009
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/americas/2009/01/21/192994/China-activist.htm

Human Rights Defenders - Ren Shangyan (任尚燕) and Kong Qiang (孔强)
中华申正网负责人孔强、任尚燕被判刑 (Rights Defense Website Operators Sentenced to 3 Years)
Radio Free Asia, January 20, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/wangluo-01202009100821.html

June 4th
一些民众进入赵紫阳家灵堂祭赵 (Mourners Including Ding Zilin Visit Zhao Ziyang's Memorial Shrine)
Voice of America, January 19, 2009
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2009-01-19-voa34.cfm?rss=topstories

Law
City Bill Bans 'Human Flesh Search Engines'
Shanghai Daily, January 21, 2009
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2009/200901/20090121/article_388759.htm

Internet Censorship
Chinese Web Sites Cut Out Parts of Obama Speech
AP available at Yahoo News, January 21, 2009
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090121/ap_on_re_as/as_inauguration_china_obama

Protests and Petitions
内蒙教师上访揭腐遭迫害 (Teachers from Inner Mongolia Persecuted After Petitioning in Beijing)
Radio Free Asia, January 20, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shangfang-01202009094018.html

Public Health
227 People Under Observation in Bird Flu Scare
Xinhuanet, January 21, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-01/20/content_10691813.htm

Bird Flu Fears Spread After Death of Girl's Mother
South China Morning Post, January 21, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=e8081412005fe110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=china&s=news

Taiwan
China to Ease Pressure on Case-by-Case Basis
China Post, January 21, 2009
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/china/national-news/2009/01/21/192958/China-to.htm

Tibet
四名藏人因示威游行被判刑 (4 Tibetan Sentenced to Years in Prison)
Radio Free Asia, January 20, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/tibetan_protest-01202009091150.html?encoding=simplified01202009091150.html?encoding=simplified