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.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Civil Society (民间社会)

Beneath the glacier: In spite of a political clampdown, a flourishing civil society is taking hold
The Economist, April 12, 2014
http://www.economist.com/news/china/21600747-spite-political-clampdown-flourishing-civil-society-taking-hold-beneath-glacier?fsrc=rss

Corruption (腐败)

广东省纪委出台规定:不准用私款私物大办婚丧事宜 (Guangdong corruption watchdog issues new directive banning officials from holding opulent weddings and funerals)
Guangzhou Daily, April 9, 2014
www.bjd.com.cn/jryw/gnxw/201404/09/t20140409_6586061.html

Related:
Planning a wedding or funeral? China’s Communist Party wants to know
The Wall Street Journal, April 9, 2014
blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/04/09/planning-a-wedding-or-funeral-chinas-communist-party-wants-to-know/?mod=WSJBlog

Graft inquiry fells another ally of former security chief
周永康旧部郭永祥被宣布 “双开”
The New York Times, April 10, 2014
cn.nytimes.com/china/20140410/c10graft/dual/

Health (健康)

China recruits “guardian angels” to protect embattled doctors
Reuters, April 9, 2014
news.yahoo.com/china-recruits-guardian-angels-protect-embattled-doctors-071140651.html

Human Rights Defenders (人权卫士)

中国当局为何加紧对维权人士的打压?(What is behind China's intensified crackdown on rights defenders?)
Radio Free Asia, April 9, 2014
www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shaoshuminzu/nu-04092014145517.html

Related:
Understanding China’s crackdown on rights advocates: personal accounts and perspectives
Congressional-Executive Commission on China, April 8, 2014
www.cecc.gov/events/hearings/understanding-china’s-crackdown-on-rights-advocates-personal-accounts-and

China corruption plan: punish those who expose it
USA Today, April 9, 2014
www.wtsp.com/story/news/2014/04/09/china-corruption-fight/7497461/

北京公民案律师退庭抗议法院违法违规 (Lawyers withdraw from court in protest of procedural problems)
Voice of America, April 9, 2014
www.voachinese.com/content/attorney-withdraw-from-the-court-trial-20140409/1889364.html

Related:
Lawyers quit in protest at China graft activists' trial
Agence France-Presse, April 10, 2014
au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/world/a/22513120/lawyers-quit-in-protest-at-china-graft-activists-trial/

Anti-corruption activist on trial in China
Al Jazeera, April 10, 2014
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2014/04/anti-corruption-activist-trial-china-201441071430605364.html

Citizen activists on trial 2014: schedule/status and essays
Human Rights in China, April 7, 2014
www.hrichina.org/en/citizen-activists-trial-2014-schedulestatus-and-essays

Information Control (信息控制)

秦火火损害谁的形象? (Online defamation trial a key test case in China's Internet crackdown)
Deutsche Welle, April 9, 2014
www.dw.de/秦火火损害谁的形象/a-17553189?maca=chi-rss-chi-all-1127-rdf

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

US Senate resolution calls for greater press freedom in China
Business Standard, April 10, 2014
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/us-senate-resolution-calls-for-greater-press-freedom-in-china-114041000299_1.html

June Fourth (六四)

Owners threaten legal action over world's first June 4 museum
South China Morning Post, April 10, 2014
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1472402/owners-threaten-legal-action-over-worlds-first-june-4-museum

Political and Economic Reform (政治经济改革)

Party insider offers rare insight into what China’s reforms mean
The Conversation, April 10, 2014
theconversation.com/party-insider-offers-rare-insight-into-what-chinas-reforms-mean-25367

Taiwan (台湾)

Taiwan activists peacefully exit parliament after weeks-long occupation
South China Morning Post, April 10, 2014
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1473317/taiwan-president-insists-trade-pacts-benefits-student-activists-prepare

Tibet (西藏)

西藏索县两藏民被捕 青海玛多县转经轮被拆除 (Tibetan residents reportedly arrested, sacred religious items dismantled in Qinghai)
Radio Free Asia, April 9, 2014
www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shaoshuminzu/dz-04092014140946.html