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, January 07, 2014

Corruption (腐败)

江苏南通房产局原局长取保候审期间自杀身亡 (Jiangsu official commits suicide while awaiting trial for graft)
Xinhua, January 7, 2014
news.163.com/14/0107/03/9HV3OUTL00014Q4P.html

14年来百名省部级官员落马 一半与房地产业有关 (Half of the 100 provincial-level officials sacked over past 14 years were involved in real-estate graft)
Caijing, January 7, 2014
economy.caijing.com.cn/2014-01-07/113783115.html

A heavily indebted Chinese railway company reportedly lost its president to suicide
Quartz, January 6, 2014
qz.com/163692/chinas-heavily-indebted-state-railway-reportedly-loses-president-to-suicide/

Environment (环境)

前卫生部长:中国每年因空气污染致数十万人早死 (Former Minister of Health: Air pollution causes 100,000 pre-mature deaths in China annually)
21st Century Economics, January 7, 2014
news.163.com/14/0107/06/9HVFF4LC0001124J.html

Desolation of smog: Tackling China's air quality crisis
British Broadcasting Corporation, January 6, 2014
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25576716

Information Control (信息控制)

China unblocks Reuters, Wall Street Journal
Politico, January 6, 2014
www.politico.com/blogs/media/2014/01/china-unblocks-reuters-wall-street-journal-180612.html

International Relations (Security, Trade and Investment), 国际关系(安全,贸易和投资)

FBI:中国驻旧金山领馆纵火嫌犯系持美国绿卡中国公民 (FBI: Suspect in arson attack against Chinese consulate in San Francisco is a Chinese citizen with U.S. green card)
China News, January 7, 2014
www.chinanews.com/gj/2014/01-07/5704631.shtml

Related:
China urges U.S. to punish accused arsonist in consulate fire
Voice of America, January 7, 2014
http://www.voanews.com/content/man-charged-with-arson-at-chinese-consulate-in-us/1824793.html

China urges immediate end to conflict in South Sudan
The Guardian, January 7, 2014
www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/06/presidents-sudan-south-sudan-meet-juba-discuss-conflict

June Fourth (六四)

“摇滚教父”崔健或将登上春晚舞台 (China's “father of rock” Cui Jian may perform in Spring Festival gala)
Deutsche Welle, January 6, 2014
dw.de/p/1AlrJ

Related:
Chinese state TV eyes Tiananmen rocker for new year gala
Agence France-Presse, January 6, 2014
au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/world/a/20624197/chinese-state-tv-eyes-tiananmen-rocker-for-new-year-gala/

Protests and Petitions (抗议和请愿)

“南周事件”一周年:当局恐惧街头之火 (On 1-year anniversary of the Southern Weekly “incident,” authorities detain activists to prevent another protest)
Deutsche Welle, January 7, 2014
http://bit.ly/1dO1JQ3

Related:
Police detain Chinese activists ahead of newspaper protest
Reuters, January 7, 2014
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/07/us-china-media-idUSBREA0606320140107

河北一村庄18访民受审下周开庭 另有三十多人被通缉 (Eighteen Hebei petitioners to stand trial next week, arrest warrants out for another 30)
Radio Free Asia, January 7, 2014
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql2-01072014100309.html

【紀念六四】何謂「天下圍城」(Activists stage year-long hunger strike relay to commemorate June Fourth victims)
The Apple Daily, January 7, 2014
http://bit.ly/1gdKRlv

Hundreds protest over grievances outside China's Wuhan legislature
Radio Free Asia, January 6, 2014
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/protest-01062014155105.html

Reeducation-Through-Labor (劳教)

50余载劳教制度走向终结:从管制转向治理 (End of RTL: Long road from control to governance)
China Newsweek, January 7, 2014
news.sina.com.cn/c/sd/2014-01-07/094129176921.shtml

China camp closures prompt calls for compensation
Epoch Times, January 6, 2014
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/435329-china-camp-closures-prompt-calls-for-compensationrecompense/