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, March 29, 2016

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Christian lawyer Zhang Kai released in China
The Telegraph, March 24, 2016
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/12202826/Christian-lawyer-Zhang-Kai-released-in-China.html

Chinese dissident Chang Ping says brothers “abducted” over letter criticizing president
The Guardian, March 28, 2016
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/28/chinese-dissident-chang-ping-says-brothers-abducted-over-letter-criticising-president

Related:
Chang Ping: My statement about the open letter to Xi Jinping demanding his resignation
China Change, March 27, 2016
http://chinachange.org/2016/03/27/chang-ping-my-statement-about-the-open-letter-to-xi-jinping-demanding-his-resignation/

Official from northern China jailed for assaulting lawyer in court after disagreeing with his views
South China Morning Post, March 28, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/1931241/lawmaker-northern-china-jailed-assaulting-lawyer-court

Access to Information (信息公开)

Mainland newspaper editor posts resignation, saying he “could not bear the party’s surname”
Hong Kong Free Press, March 29, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/03/29/mainland-newspaper-editor-posts-resignation-saying-he-could-not-bear-the-partys-surname/

Google search returned to China this weekend—but not for long
Quartz, March 28, 2016
http://qz.com/648747/google-search-returned-to-china-this-weekend-but-not-for-long/

Big numbers behind Chinese internet leave some unconvinced
The Financial Times, March 28, 2016
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/66ae03d0-f175-11e5-9f20-c3a047354386.html

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Influential U.S.-based Communist Party critic says Beijing officials “abducted” his family
South China Morning Post, March 26, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1930965/influential-us-based-communist-party-critic-says

Growing numbers of Christians in China under scrutiny
British Broadcasting Corporation, March 25, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35898182

Related:
Why many Christians in China have turned to underground churches
British Broadcasting Corporation, March 26, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35898182

Chinese “woman of courage” faces eviction, travel ban ahead of award
北京维权人士倪玉兰获国际妇女勇气奖 当局阻领奖又逼迁
Radio Free Asia, March 28, 2016
EN: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/china-niyulan-03282016132245.html
CH: http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql1-03282016100647.html

十余律师公开去信中国国务院 吁保护疫苗案公民知情权与救济权 (A dozen of lawyers write open letter to China’s State Council concerning vaccine scandal, urging for protection of people’s right to know and right of relief)
Radio Free Asia, March 28, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/huanjing/yf1-03282016103548.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Vaccine scandal shows public distrust, system’s flaws
China Digital Times, March 28, 2016
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2016/03/vaccine-scandal-reveals-systems-flaws/

Chinese government mouthpiece Global Times criticizes authorities over vaccine scandal
South China Morning Post, March 25, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1930576/chinese-government-mouthpiece-global-times-criticises

疫苗事件:世卫组织敦促中国恢复公众信心 (Vaccine scandal: The World Health Organization urges China to rebuild the public’s confidence)
British Broadcasting Corporation, March 28, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/china/2016/03/160328_china_vaccine_regulation

Bedridden for years after torture in jail, Tibetan man dies at 85
Radio Free Asia, March 25, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/bedridden-03252016142239.html

China steps-up anti-graft drive in military
The Hindu, March 28, 2016
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/china-stepsup-antigraft-drive-in-military/article8406239.ece

China warns officials: No unrest, or lose your job
Wall Street Journal, March 25, 2016
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2016/03/25/china-warns-officials-no-unrest-or-lose-your-job/

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Father of China's Great Firewall to lead new cybersecurity association
South China Morning Post, March 26, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1930959/father-chinas-great-firewall-lead-new-cybersecurity

Hong Kong (香港)

Three strikes: A tipping point for Hong Kong?
The Diplomat, March 24, 2016
http://thediplomat.com/2016/03/three-strikes-a-tipping-point-for-hong-kong/

Bookseller Lee Bo “back in mainland;” hails China’s development, says his rights were protected
Hong Kong Free Press, March 25, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/03/25/bookseller-lee-bo-back-in-mainland-hails-chinas-development-says-his-rights-were-protected/

Related:

【李波事件】李波變成中共對港政策宣傳大使 ([Lee Bo event] Lee bo has become the promotional ambassador of CPC’s policies to Hong Kong)
Ming Pao, March 29, 2016
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20160329/s00022/1459223029346

李波事件對一國兩制有陰影 譚允芝:回歸後最令人憂慮的事件 (Lee Bo event casts a shadow on One Country Two Systems, Hong Kong Bar Association Chairman Winnie Tam calls it the most worrisome event since the handover)
InMedia HK, March 27, 2016
http://www.inmediahk.net/node/1041472

Key dates in the Hong Kong booksellers’ saga
South China Morning Post, March 25, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1930960/key-dates-hong-kong-booksellers-saga

Who are the five Hong Kong booksellers?
South China Morning Post, March 25, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1930957/who-are-five-hong-kong-booksellers

运营两年屡遭打压 “六四纪念馆”被迫关闭 (Operated for two years, June Fourth Museum to close down under pressure)
Radio Free Asia, March 27, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/gangtai/xl1-03272016110821.html

香港民族黨宣布建黨 冀建獨立自由「香港共和國」 (Hong Kong National Party announces its establishment to promote an independent and free “Hong Kong Republic”)
Ming Pao, March 28, 2016
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20160328/s00001/1459149341056

Related:
【香港民族黨】否認港獨違基本法 召集人稱香港開埠時中華人民共和國細胞都未形成 (Hong Kong National Party denies that Hong Kong’s independence would breach the Basic Law, convener claims that the People’s Republic of China was inexistent when the port of Hong Kong opened)
Ming Pao, March 28, 2016
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20160328/s00001/1459154989608

National Security & Counterterrorism (国家安全和反恐)

China detains 41 Uyghurs who skipped a funeral of a local Communist functionary
Radio Free Asia, March 24, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/china-detains-03242016163359.html

Opinion and Editorial (观点和社论)

HKFP Interview: Leta Hong Fincher on “leftover women” and the future of feminism in China
Hong Kong Free Press, March 28, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/03/28/hkfp-interview-leta-hong-fincher-on-leftover-women-and-the-future-of-feminism-in-china/

HKFP Interview: Tiananmen book author Louisa Lim on the dangers of forgetting history
Hong Kong Free Press, March 27, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/03/27/hkfp-interview-tiananmen-book-author-louisa-lim-on-the-dangers-of-forgetting-history/