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 12, 2013

Bo Xilai Case (薄熙来案)

薄熙来案:海伍德母亲呼吁中国政府相助 (Bo’s case: Neil Heywood’s mother calls for Chinese government's help)
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 12, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/08/130812_heywood_mother_appeal.shtml

Sword hangs over house of Bo
Sydney Morning Herald, August 9, 2013
http://www.smh.com.au/world/sword-hangs-over-house-of-bo-20130809-2rlo3.html

Censorship and Surveillance (审查和监控)

日媒:中国当局下令编列829个敏感词 (Japanese media: Chinese authorities instructed to compile 829 sensitive words, most of them related to human rights or protests)
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 10, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/08/130810_chinawordban_japan.shtml

Children (儿童)

China baby trafficking scandal widens
Huffington Post, August 10, 2013
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/10/china-baby-trafficking-_n_3736385.html

The doctor and China's evil baby trade
The Telegraph, August 10, 2013
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/10235167/The-doctor-and-Chinas-evil-baby-trade.html

Consumer Product Safety (消费品安全)

Cashing in on health scares, China online food sales boom
Reuters, August 11, 2013
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/11/us-china-food-idUSBRE97A0DB20130811

Corruption (腐败)

英媒:习近平法学博士论文"疑点"曝光 (Dubious questions surface from Xi Jinping’s JD thesis)
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 12, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/press_review/2013/08/130811_press_xi_degree.shtml

上海建工卷入法官嫖娼事件 去年招待费1.78亿 (Nearly $30 million spent by Shanghai Construction Group, organizer of Shanghai-judge prostitution scandal, on "hospitality fees" last year)
The Beijing News, August 12, 2013
http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2013/0812/c1001-22524711.html

多地楼堂馆所花样翻新 商务中心实为政府办公楼 (Circumventing regulations, local governments build new offices labeled as "business centers")
Beijing Morning Post, August 12, 2013
http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2013/0812/c1001-22524709.html

盘点近年“失踪”官员:多涉经济出逃 休假治病成借口 (Most "disappearing officials" in recent years escape for economic reasons, claim to “take vacation” or “medical leave”)
The Beijing News, August 12, 2013
http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2013/0812/c1001-22524546.html

China accused of cracking down on critics to conceal corruption
The Telegraph, August 9, 2013
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/10234022/China-accused-of-cracking-down-on-critics-to-conceal-corruption.html

Sanofi being investigated for bribery by China
Associated Press, August 11, 2013
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/12/business/global/sanofi-being-investigated-for-bribery-by-china.html

Environment (环境)

全国多个癌症村接连曝光 矛头直指水污染 (Cancer villages emerge nationwide, water pollution found as main reason of cancer)
Economic Information Daily, August 12, 2013
http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2013/0812/c1001-22524704.html

应对严重环境污染中国政府规划环保产业 (China to strengthen environmental protection industry to tackle serious pollution)
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 11, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/08/130811_china_pollution_policy.shtml

Related:
国务院关于加快发展节能环保产业的意见 (State Council's Opinions on Expediting the Development of Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Industries)
State Council, August 11, 2013
http://www.gov.cn/zwgk/2013-08/11/content_2464241.htm

China to spend more to tackle dire pollution
Reuters, August 11, 2013
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/11/china-energy-investment-idUSL4N0GC07A20130811

China and India “water grab” dams put ecology of Himalayas in danger
The Guardian, August 10, 2013
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2013/aug/10/china-india-water-grab-dams-himalayas-danger

Health (健康)

中国艾滋病人集体赴港 敦促中国政府尊重人权 (Chinese HIV/Aids victims collectively petition in Hong Kong, call for Chinese government to respect human rights)
Radio Free Asia, August 09, 2013
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/huanjing/xl2-08092013100716.html

New case of H7N9 bird flu confirmed in China
Agence France-Presse, August 11, 2013
http://bit.ly/13cNqSJ

Human Rights Defenders (人权卫士)

李化平遭跨省抓捕 (Shanghai dissident taken away by Hunan authorities in a "cross-provincial" grab)
Radio Free Asia, August 11, 2013
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/sy-08112013141758.html

China arrests activist on subversion charge as crackdown deepens
Reuters, August 11, 2013
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/11/us-china-subversion-idUSBRE97A01P20130811

Related:
深圳维权人士杨林被控"煽动颠覆国家政权罪" (Shenzhen dissident Yang Lin charged with inciting subversion of state power)
Voice of America, August 12, 2013
http://www.voachinese.com/content/yang-lin-shenzheng-rights-lawyer-charged-sedition/1727592.html

中国维权记者被控非法拘禁遭刑拘 (Chinese rights defense reporter criminally detained on charge of illegal detention)
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 12, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/08/130812_china_rights_journalist.shtml

Human Trafficking (人口贩卖)

Chinese people-smugglers arrested in joint Spanish and French raids
The Guardian, August 10, 2013
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/10/chinese-people-smugglers-arrested-spain-france

Related:
欧洲破获庞大偷渡中国人蛇犯罪集团 (Crime syndicate found smuggling Chinese illegal immigrants cracked by European countries)
Voice of America, August 12, 2013
http://www.voachinese.com/content/europe-china-20130811/1727536.html

Media (媒体)

Wikipedia co-founder refuses to comply with China’s censorship
Wall Street Journal, August 12, 2013
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2013/08/12/wikipedia-co-founder-refuses-to-comply-with-chinas-censorship/

Popular China bloggers should “promote virtues”
Agence France-Presse, August 11, 2013
http://bit.ly/15sxeqA

Political and Economic Reform (政治经济改革)

Central government's urbanization plan meets resistance from mayors
South China Morning Post, August 12, 2013
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1295951/central-governments-urbanisation-plan-meets-resistance-mayors

Protests and Petitions (抗议和请愿)

首都机场爆炸案嫌犯山东访民冀中星被起诉 (Shandong petitioner suspected in Beijing International Airport bombing case prosecuted)
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 12, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/08/130812_airport_blast_charged.shtml

Rule of Law (法治)

最高检:上半年逾6千名损害群众利益的公职人员涉渎职被立案 (Supreme People's Procuratorate: over 6,000 civil servants under investigation in first half of 2013 for abusing power and harming public interests)
Xinhua, August 12, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2013-08/12/c_116903185.htm

Wrongful verdicts targeted
Global Times, August 12, 2013
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/803168.shtml#.UghJjNIwde4

Related:
最高人民法院关于适用《中华人民共和国国家赔偿法》若干问题的解释(一) (Supreme People's Court Regulations concerning the Procedures for Handling Compensation Cases by People's Courts)
Supreme People's Court, May 31, 2013
http://rmfyb.chinacourt.org/paper/html/2011-03/18/content_24476.htm

Society (社会)

Chinese students flock to join the Communist Party
The Telegraph, August 9, 2013
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/10234401/Chinese-students-flock-to-join-the-Communist-Party.html

Opinion (观点)

Pollution Economics
The New York Times, August 9, 2013
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/10/opinion/pollution-economics.html