August 6, 2009

Top news of the day
Human Rights Defender – Huang Qi (黄琦)
Trial of Quake Dissident Ends 'Without Verdict'
Agence France-Presse (via South China Morning Post), August 05, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=5ba36b4f7d8e2210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Sichuan rights defender Huang Qi (黄琦) was tried in an closed hearing on August 5, 2009, on charges of “illegal possession of state secrets.” No verdict was issued. Huang, whose lawyers entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf, was criminally detained in on June 10, 2008, and formally arrested on July 18, 2008. At the time of his detention, Huang was in the Sichuan earthquake zone researching and publishing news about the plight of parents who had lost children in the disaster.

Related information:
Authorities Kidnap and Prevent Court Appearance by Witness for Huang Qi’s Case
Human Rights in China, August 05, 2009
http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/171781

Related news:
批川震豆腐渣 黃琦或監三年 (For Criticizing Shoddy Construction Felled in the Sichuan Earthquake, Huang Qi Could Face Three Years in Jail)
Singtao Daily, August 06, 2009
http://news.sina.com.hk/cgi-bin/nw/show.cgi/94/1/1/1223131/1.html

News
Civil Society
北京市府首度開腔 指「公盟」非法組織 (Beijing Government Finally Speaks, Calls Gongmeng (Open Constitution Initiative) an Illegal Organization)
Ming Pao, August 06, 2009
http://news.sina.com.hk/cgi-bin/nw/show.cgi/94/1/1/1223045/1.html

Death Penalty
Wrongful Execution Case Stalled: Report
Agence France-Presse (via South China Morning Post), August 06, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=8345fa5ef7be2210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Related news:
男子被执行死刑9年后真凶现身 冤情至今未昭雪
Sichuan Online (via Netease), August 05, 2009
http://news.163.com/09/0805/11/5FUV6KGU00011229.html

Economic Development
China’s Growth Figures Fail to Add Up
Financial Times, August 04, 2009
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0ec404fc-8120-11de-92e7-00144feabdc0,dwp_uuid=9511df10-6d6b-11da-a4df-0000779e2340.html

Environment
China Refuses to Budge on Greenhouse Gases
Agence France-Presse (via Yahoo! News), August 05, 2009
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090805/sc_afp/chinaclimatewarmingun

Law
Supreme People's Court Encourages Mediation to Resolve Disputes as Lawsuits Increase
Xinhua News Agency, August 04, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-08/04/content_11826652.htm

Media
Journalists Held for Investigating Metal Leaks Case
South China Morning Post, August 06, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=5136fa5ef7be2210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Protests and Petitions
14 Arrested over Unrest Related to Chef's Death in C China
Xinhua News Agency, August 05, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-08/05/content_11831454.htm

北京大举驱赶访民 信访办形同虚设 (Beijing Authorities Drive Away Petitioners)
Radio Free Asia, August 05, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/xinfang-08052009091349.html

上海宝山逾百租户镇政府抗议 郑恩宠再被传唤 (100+ Tenants in Baoshan, Shanghai Protest Local Government, Zheng Enchong again Summoned by Police)
Radio Free Asia, August 05, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/zhengenchong-08052009133506.html

XUAR
Innocent Civilians Make Up 156 in Urumqi Riot Death Toll
Xinhua News Agency, August 05, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-08/05/content_11831350.htm

Uighur Accuses China of Inflaming Ethnic Tension
Associated Press (via Yahoo! News), August 05, 2009
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090805/ap_on_re_au_an/as_australia_china_uighur