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.

Friday, February 05, 2016

Access to Justice (司法公正)

中国人权观察秘书长徐秦被“取保候审” 人权观察呼吁释放秦永敏
China releases Guangdong labor activist “on bail,” three still held
Radio Free Asia, February 4, 2016
CH: http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf1-02042016103623.html
EN: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/china-zhuxiaomei-02042016125717.html

高瑜赴德就医受阻 (Gao Yu obstructed from going to Germany to seek medical treatment)
Deutsche Welle, February 5, 2016
http://www.dw.com/zh/高瑜赴德就医受阻/a-19028010

Related:
高瑜律师呼吁当局履行诺言批准高到海外就医 (Gao Yu’s lawyer urges the authorities to keep the promise and let Gao go overseas for medical treatment)
Radio Free Asia, February 4, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/hc-02042016104308.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

【書店5人失蹤】旅美作家自稱《習近平與他的情人們》作者 指賣書人無辜 稱該書已網上出版 ([Disappearance of 5 booksellers] Writer residing in U.S. who claims to be author of “Xi Jinping and His Lovers” says the booksellers are innocent and the book has already been published online)
Ming Pao, February 5, 2016
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20160205/s00001/1454644904875

Amnesty Int’l calls for urgent action over missing journalist who “voluntarily” returned to China
Hong Kong Free Press, February 4, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/02/04/amnesty-intl-calls-for-urgent-action-over-missing-journalist-who-voluntarily-returned-to-china/

Related:
China: Establish whereabouts of Li Xin (UA 24/16)
Amnesty International, February 3, 2015
http://www.amnestyusa.org/get-involved/take-action-now/china-establish-whereabouts-of-li-xin-ua-2416

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Women's rights crackdown exposes deepening crisis in Chinese society
The Guardian, February 5, 2016
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/feb/05/china-womens-rights-crackdown-exposes-deepening-crisis-in-chinese-society

China's hip-hop stars feel the heat of Xi Jinping's battle to control culture
The Guardian, February 5, 2016
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/05/chinas-hip-hop-stars-feel-the-heat-of-xi-jinpings-battle-to-control-culture

Unpaid and angry, some Chinese workers ditch holidays to protest
Reuters, February 4, 2016
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-lunar-newyear-china-insight-idUSKCN0VD2ZJ

Government Accountability (政府问责)

共产党通过支付宝和腾讯 春节期间分发红包 (The Communist Party distributes “red envelopes” via Alipay and Tencent during Chinese New Year)
Radio France Internationale, February 5, 2016
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20160205-共产党通过支付宝和腾讯-春节期间分发红包

Corruption found across China’s financial industry
South China Morning Post, February 5, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1909672/corruption-found-across-chinas-financial-industry

Another prominent Chinese official has been sacked as Xi Jinping tightens his grip on power
Quartz, February 5, 2016
http://qz.com/610785/another-prominent-chinese-official-has-been-sacked-as-xi-jinping-tightens-his-grip-on-power/

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Report: China bolsters state hacking powers
Christian Science Monitor, February 4, 2016
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Passcode/2016/0204/Report-China-bolsters-state-hacking-powers

Hong Kong (香港)

粤公安证实铜锣湾书店5人统统在大陆手上 (Guangdong police confirms all 5 people from Causeway Bay Books are in mainland China)
Radio France Internationale, February 5, 2016
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20160205-粤公安证实铜锣湾书店5人统统在大陆手上

Related:
Missing Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing-kee is a “super book lover” who used to be boss of Causeway Bay Books
友人:林荣基是“超级爱书人” 桂敏海电脑护照已不见
South China Morning Post, February 5, 2016
EN: http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1909741/missing-hong-kong-bookseller-lam-wing-kee-super-book-lover
CH: http://www.nanzao.com/sc/national/152afc7eef255cd/you-ren-lin-rong-ji-shi-chao-ji-ai-shu-ren-gui-min-hai-dian-nao-hu-zhao-yi-bu-jian

In China, books that make money, and enemies
The New York Times, February 7, 2016
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/07/business/international/in-china-books-that-make-money-and-enemies.html

The Hong Kong bookseller who's keeping “banned” books on his shelves
National Public Radio, February 3, 2016
http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2016/02/03/465284407/the-hong-kong-bookseller-whos-keeping-banned-books-on-his-shelves

More shaky police testimony at hearings of Occupy-related cases
Hong Kong Free Press, February 5, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/02/05/more-shaky-police-testimony-at-hearings-of-occupy-related-cases/

Education Bureau criticized after saying students should learn simplified Chinese
Hong Kong Free Press, February 5, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/02/05/education-bureau-criticised-after-saying-students-should-learn-simplified-chinese/

Related:
【兼學簡體字?】教局文件提建議 家長反彈:可唔可以放過香港學生? (Parents slam Education Bureau’s proposal about “learning simplified Chinese characters alongside”: Can you spare Hong Kong students?)
Ming Pao, February 4, 2016
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20160204/s00001/1454563565474

Opinion and Editorial (观点和社论)

Open debate and trial of Chinese video-sharing site Qvod an encouraging sign of mainland legal reform
South China Morning Post, February 3, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1908862/open-debate-and-trial-chinese-video-sharing-site-qvod

【不要「種族歧視」「內地人」?】-由被種族清洗的港人角度說起 ([Do not hold “ethnic discrimination” towards “mainland people”?]—Discussing from the perspective of Hong Kong people being submitted to ethnic cleansing)
InMedia HK, February 4, 2016
http://www.inmediahk.net/node/1040438