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, December 29, 2009

December 29, 2009

Top news
Human Rights Defender – Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波)
Chinese Dissident Liu Xiaobo Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison
The Guardian, December 25, 2009
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/6884307/Chinese-dissident-Liu-Xiaobo-sentenced-to-11-years-in-prison.html

On December 25, 2009, the Beijing Municipal No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court sentenced independent intellectual Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波) to eleven years’ imprisonment and two years’ deprivation of political rights on charges of inciting subversion of state power. Liu was tried on December 23, in a hearing that lasted for less than three hours; his wife was not permitted to attend. According to his lawyers and family, Liu plans to appeal.
Related information:
Liu Xiaobo’s Guilty Verdict and 11-Year Sentence Send Message of Zero Tolerance for Universal Human Rights
Human Rights in China, December 25, 2009
http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/172686

What Constitutes Liu Xiaobo’s “Incitement to Subvert State Power”?
Human Rights in China, December 23, 2009
http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/172669

Related news:
Dissident’s Sentence Signals Tougher Stance
Financial Times, December 27, 2009
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/59148188-f305-11de-a888-00144feab49a.html

中国网民:中国为自己找到了昂山素姬与曼德拉 (Chinese Netizens: China Finds Its Own Aung San Suu Kyi and Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela )
Radio France Internationale, December 26, 2009
http://www.rfi.fr/actucn/articles/120/article_18356.asp

News
Death Penalty
China Executes British National: British PM
Agence France-Presse, December 29, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=b304c17eb28d5210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Hong Kong
21市民羅湖橋挺劉曉波 公安越境拘港示威者 (21 Hong Kongers March in Support of Liu Xiaobo at Hong Kong-Shenzhen Crossing, PRC Police Cross the Boundary, Detain Demonstrating Hong Kongers and Journalists)
Apple Daily, December 28, 2009
http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/template/apple/art_main.php?iss_id=20091228&sec_id=4104&art_id=13568369
Related news:
《明報》聲明:抗議內地人員越境阻撓記者採訪 (Ming Pao Statement in Protest of Mainland Staff Crossing the Border to Obstruct Journalists from Reporting)
Ming Pao, December 28, 2009
http://news.sina.com.hk/cgi-bin/nw/show.cgi/3/1/1/1375138/1.html

記協質疑有預謀 議員斥港警袖手 (HK Journalists Association Calls into Question Whether It Was Premeditated, Legco Members Scold HK Police's Inaction)
Ming Pao, December 28, 2009
http://news.sina.com.hk/cgi-bin/nw/show.cgi/3/1/1/1375137/1.html

Police Crossed Border, Dragged us into Shenzhen, Detainees Say
South China Morning Post, December 29, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=7bc3221d5f5d5210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD
Hu Issues Directive to Tsang on Reform
South China Morning Post, December 29, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=4823221d5f5d5210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Human Rights Defender – Tan Zuoren (谭作人)
譚作人可能在兩周內宣判 (Judgment of Tan's Case May Be Announced in Two Weeks)
Ming Pao, December 29, 2009
http://news.sina.com.hk/cgi-bin/nw/show.cgi/32/1/1/1376913/1.html

Labor
Mentally Handicapped Chinese Trafficked, Killed - Report
Reuters, December 28, 2009
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE5BR0UV20091228

Law
China Draft Rules Allow Villagers to Impeach Chiefs
Reuters, December 27, 2009
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5BQ0KW20091227
Related information:
村民委员会组织法修订草案向社会公开征求意见 (Draft Revision of the Organic Law of Villagers' Committees Released Publicly for Comment)
National People's Congress, December 26, 2009
http://www.npc.gov.cn/npc/xinwen/syxw/2009-12/26/content_1533006.htm

村民委员会组织法(修订草案)条文及草案说明 (Full Text and Explanation of the Organic Law of Villagers' Committees [Draft Revision])
National People's Congress, December 26, 2009
http://www.npc.gov.cn/npc/xinwen/lfgz/flca/2009-12/26/content_1532849.htm
State Council Releases Annual Legislation Review
Xinhua News Agency, December 27, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-12/27/content_12711639.htm

Media
CCTV Goes Online to Expand Reach amid Crackdown
China Daily, December 29, 2009
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-12/29/content_9239283.htm

敏感資訊傳播 twitter內地抬頭 (Twitter Facilitates Spreading of Sensitive Information in Mainland)
Ming Pao, December 28, 2009
http://news.sina.com.hk/cgi-bin/nw/show.cgi/9/1/1/1375183/1.html

Police
民工无罪被关押211天 申请国家赔偿遭拒绝 (Migrant Worker Denied Compensation after 211 Days of Wrongful Detention)
Guangzhou Daily, December 28, 2009
http://news.eastday.com/c/20091228/u1a4910446.html

Politics
毒奶粉问责官员复职引起公愤 (Official Responsible for Milk Poisoning Returns to Office, Sparking Public Outrage)
Radio Free Asia, December 29, 2009
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/nai-12282009093826.html
Related news:
Tainted Milk Official in New Role
China Daily, December 28, 2009
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2009-12/28/content_9235900.htm
Poverty
Country's Poverty Line Misleading, Expert Says
China Daily, December 29, 2009
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-12/29/content_9239381.htm

Protests and Petitions
Official Crackdown the New Poison for Shaanxi Peasants
South China Morning Post, December 29, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=69a6221d5f5d5210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

State Security
Warning Police Will 'Strike Hard at Hostile Forces'
South China Morning Post, December 29, 2009
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=cb26221d5f5d5210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD