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.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

August 11, 2009

Top news of the day
Multilateral
UN Panel Questions China on Ethnic Discrimination
Associated Press (via Jakarta Post), August 10, 2009
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/08/10/un-panel-questions-china-ethnic-discrimination.html
Related news:
China Frees 1,200 in Tibet, Holds 700 over Xinjiang
Agence France-Presse (via Google News), August 11, 2009
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iRGyEv-UaN4nkuA23JnG5-ioTQiw

Related information:
UN Expert Body Wraps Up Dialogue with China on Anti-Discrimination Efforts
Human Rights in China, August 10, 2009
http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/171819
News
Bilateral Ties
Two Sides Differ on Diversion of Plane
Associated Press (via South China Morning Post), August 11, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=c25cb5a2d3503210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Australia Media Brushes Off China
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 11, 2009
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8194550.stm

中国威视公司行贿案在纳米比亚开庭审理 (Namibia Bribery Case with Ties to Hu Jintao's Son Goes to Trial)
Radio France Internationale, August 11, 2009
http://www.rfi.fr/actucn/articles/116/article_15394.asp

Civil Society
Baby Milk Powder Victims Lose Legal Proxy
Global Times, August 11, 2009
http://www.globaltimes.cn/www/english/top-news/2009-08/456249.html

Death Penalty
最高人民检察院:死刑案取证禁刑讯逼供 (Supreme People's Procuratorate: Collecting Evidence through Torture Forbidden in Death Penalty Cases)
The Beijing News, August 11, 2009
http://news.bjnews.com.cn/2009/0811/40934.shtml
Related news:
Anti-torture Measures in Works, Paper Says
South China Morning Post, August 11, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=7b0cb5a2d3503210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD
Disasters
Dozens Killed as Typhoons Hit East Asia
Agence France Presse (via Yahoo! News), August 10, 2009
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090810/wl_asia_afp/chinataiwanjapanweathertyphoon

Environment
西藏可能成為國家水電開發重點地區 (Beijing Considers Making Tibet a Primary Location for Hydroelectric Energy Development)
China News Service, August 11, 2009
http://news.sina.com.hk/cgi-bin/nw/show.cgi/107/1/1/1227795/1.html

Hong Kong
Hong Kong Activists Protest Crackdown on Dissidents
Associated Press (via China Post), August 10, 2009
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/china/local-news/hong-kong/2009/08/10/219863/Hong-Kong.htm

Human Rights Defender – Xu Zhiyong (许志永)
Arrest in China Rattles Backers of Legal Rights
New York Times, August 10, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/10/world/asia/10rights.html

Law
Senior Prosecutor Calls for Better Evidence System to Improve Justice
Xinhua News Agency, August 08, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-08/08/content_11848717.htm

Media
China's Internet a Major Concern to Officials
Agence France Presse (via Yahoo! News), August 10, 2009
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090810/wl_asia_afp/chinainternetmediagovernment

Police
最高人民法院部署下阶段打黑除恶工作 (Supreme Court Orders the Next Wave of Anti-Crime Operations)
Xinhua News Agency, August 10, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2009-08/10/content_11854653.htm

Protests and Petitions
湖北数千访民群集省府 交通被堵访民被驱赶抓打 (Thousands Petition Hubei Provincial Government en Masse)
Radio Free Asia, August 10, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/hubei-08102009114426.html

Public Health
Lead Poisoning Linked to Smelter near Homes
South China Morning Post, August 11, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=320bb5a2d3503210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

State Security
China Says 2.75 Million Security Cameras Installed
Associated Press (via Yahoo! News), August 10, 2009
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090810/ap_on_re_as/as_china_security_cameras

China Seems to Retract Claim against Rio Tinto
New York Times, August 11, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/world/asia/11riotinto.html