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.

Monday, August 16, 2010

August 16, 2010

News
Bilateral Ties
$4 Million Aid for Confucius Institutes in Africa
China Daily, August 13, 2010

Death Penalty
Court Rejects Death-row Commerce Official's Appeal
Xinhua News Agency, August 13, 2010

Environment
Tests Confirm Fears of Zijin Mine Neighbours
South China Morning Post, August 16, 2010

Food Security
China Denies Milk Powder to Blame for Infant Breasts
Irish Times, August 16, 2010
Related news:
卫生部圣元乳粉疑致儿童性早熟调查发布会实录 (Transcript of MOH Press Conference on Investigation of Synutra Milk)
China News Service, August 15, 2010
Hukou
China 'Hukou' System Deemed Outdated as Way of Controlling Access to Services
The Washington Post, August 15, 2010

重庆户籍改革启动 千万农民将变市民 (Chongqing: Thousands to Be Benefited from Household Registration Reforms)
Chongqing Evening News, August 16, 2010

Human Rights Defender
最老「反革命犯」57年終出獄 20歲囚到77歲親人盡烃苦無依 (Man Released 57 Years after Convicted of Counterrevolutionaries )
Ming Pao, August 15, 2010

Labor
中国异地劳工维权事件频发 工会机制引人关注 (Function of Chinese Trade Union Leads to Criticism as Workers Go on Protesting)
Radio Free Asia, August 14, 2010

Workers Let Go by China’s Banks Are Putting Up a Fight
New York Times, August 15, 2010

Land Policy
S. China Demolition Sparks Clashes: Report
Reuters, August 14, 2010

Police Fall Victim to Demolition Gang
South China Morning Post, August 14, 2010

Media
网游实名制存在盲点 玩家个人信息安全隐患大 (Concerns Shown over Infringement upon Players’ Privacy Brought by Real-name Registration System)
Xinhua News Agency, August 14, 2010

《毛時代最後的舞者》內地禁映 (Mao’s Last Dancer Film Banned in Mainland)
Ming Pao, August 16, 2010

Politics
China Wants Bureaucrats to Shut Up
The Los Angeles Times, August 14, 2010
XUAR
新疆斋月严控超想像 封斋不吃饭可受重罚 (Students in Xinjiang Banned to Fast during Ramadan)
Radio Free Asia, August 13, 2010

August 13, 2010

Top News
Human Rights Defender
北京铁路中院撤销王宇案原判 (Beijing Railway Transportation Intermediate Court Rescinds Wang Yu's Sentence, Orders Retrial)
Radio Free Asia, August 12, 2010
On August 10, 2010, the Beijing Railway Transportation Intermediate Court rescinded the Beijing lawyer Wang Yu (王宇)'s sentence of three years on charges of intentional injury and remanded the case for a new trial. The court cited "unclear facts" in its ruling. In May 2008, Wang Yu and several workers at the Tianjin West Railway Station had an altercation and Wang filed a complaint at the Tianjin Railway public security office. After several months, in December 2008 she was arrested on charges of beating up the railway workers. Wang was later tried by the Tianjin Railway Transportation Court and convicted on charges of intentional injury.
Related information:
In Important Move, Railway Court Vacates Lawyer’s Sentence on Appeal, Citing Unclear Facts
北京铁路中院裁定撤销王宇“故意伤害罪”原判
Human Rights in China, August 11, 2010

News
Children
Home Alone in the Countryside
China Daily, August 13, 2010

Death Penalty
Once High-flying China Official Gets Death Sentence
Reuters, August 13, 2010

Disasters
China Mudslides Highlight Cost of Rapid Economic Growth
Agence France-Presse, August 13, 2010

Media
Xinhua and China Mobile to Join Forces with Online Search Venture
Financial Times, August 13, 2010

Propaganda Official Urges News Rethink
South China Morning Post, August 13, 2010

Police
天津郑明芳报警反被打 齐志勇刘凤刚看望胡佳母亲被阻 (Tianjin Rights Activist Zheng Mingfan Beaten for Calling Police)
Radio Free Asia, August 12, 2010

China's Top Cop Tells Web Audience That Police Are Sometimes `Unfair'
Bloomberg, August 13, 2010

北京城管人事调整引发公众对“城管警察化”忧虑 (Worries of an "Urban Management State" as Beijing Urban Management Undergoes Personnel Changes)
China News Service, August 12, 2010

Protests and Petitions
安溪茶乡建火葬场墓园 村民堵路抗议遭镇压抓捕 (Several Fujianese Villagers Detained at Cemetary Protest)
Radio Free Asia, August 12, 2010

无锡失地农民集体上书 控诉地方征地拆迁问题 (Landless Jiangsu Villagers Petition en Masse against Appropriation)
Radio Free Asia, August 12, 2010

Religion
公安逼迁良人教会 威胁牧师不准传教 (Police Force Christian Church to Relocate, Not Allowing Pastors to Preach)
Radio Free Asia, August 12, 2010

Tibet
Group: Tibetan Businessman Gets Life in Prison
Associated Press, August 12, 2010
http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2010/08/12/group_tibetan_businessman_gets_life_in_prison/