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.

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Special Feature: Liu Xiaobo (特辑:刘晓波)

We hope our expanded special feature on Liu Xiaobo—including news items, analyses of the significance of his life and work, international support for Liu Xia and calls for accountability, and commentaries—will be a useful information resource and help generate more effective action by the international community. Liu Xiaobo was a prominent Chinese public intellectual and 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, recognized for “his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental rights in China.” He died of liver cancer on July 13, 2017 in Chinese custody.

News (新闻)

China's ocean burial of Liu Xiaobo backfires as activists stage sea protests
The Guardian, July 19, 2017
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jul/19/chinas-ocean-burial-of-liu-xiaobo-backfires-as-activists-stage-sea-protests

华盛顿华人在共产主义受难者纪念碑下悼念刘晓波 (Chinese people in Washington mourn Liu Xiaobo at Victims of Communism Memorial)
Voice of America, July 19, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/liu-xiaobo-washington-20170718/3949287.html

Related:
“中国民主教育基金会”发表声明沉痛哀悼刘晓波 称他是中国的曼德拉,华夏的哈维尔 (Chinese Democratic Education Foundation releases announcement to mourn Liu Xiaobo and calls Liu “Mandela of China”)
Radio Free Asia, July 18, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ck-07182017101327.html

Worldwide memorials held including in Hong Kong to remember Liu Xiaobo
South China Morning Post, July 19, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2103329/worldwide-memorials-held-including-hong-kong-remember

In Pictures: A week on, Hongkongers gather to mourn death of Chinese dissident Nobel winner Liu Xiaobo
Hong Kong Free Press, July 19, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/07/19/pictures-week-hongkongers-gather-mourn-death-chinese-dissident-nobel-winner-liu-xiaobo/

Friend of late Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo says he was taken away "to travel" on traditional day of mourning
Hong Kong Free Press, July 19, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/07/19/pictures-week-hongkongers-gather-mourn-death-chinese-dissident-nobel-winner-liu-xiaobo/

沈阳国保骚扰跟踪恐吓记者实录 (National Security officers in Shenyang harass, follow, and intimidate journalists)
Voice of America, July 19, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/3949025.html

中国驻英国大使馆发言人致信《金融时报》:刘晓波违法并被依法定罪 (Chinese embassy in the UK writes to Financial Times: Liu Xiaobo broke the law was convicted in accordance with the law)
Financial Times, July 18, 2017
http://www.ftchinese.com/story/001073458

民众以“空凳子”祭奠刘晓波 刘霞仍然下落不明 (Citizens pay tribute to Liu Xiaobo with an “empty chair,” Liu Xia’s whereabouts still unknown)
Radio Free Asia, July 18, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql1-07182017104930.html

Related:
信息中心:劉霞正在雲南「被旅遊」 (Information Center for Human Rights & Democracy: Liu Xia is “forced to travel” in Yunnan)
Radio Television Hong Kong, July 18, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1342873-20170718.htm
Assessments: Liu Xiaobo’s Life & Work (评价:刘晓波的审评和著作)

Liu Xiaobo and the meaning of Chinese patriotism
Jiayang Fan, The New Yorker, July 19, 2017
http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/liu-xiaobo-and-the-meaning-of-chinese-patriotism

China, Liu Xiaobo and the new reality of human rights
Steve Tsang, Chatham House, July 19 2017
https://www.chathamhouse.org/expert/comment/china-liu-xiaobo-and-new-reality-human-rights

International Support for Liu Xia (国际社会给刘霞的声援)

The death of Liu Xiaobo
Lois Snow, Letter to the Editor, The New York Times, July 18, 2017
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/18/opinion/the-death-of-liu-xiaobo.html

After Liu Xiaobo's death, concerns grow for his widow's well-being
National Public Radio, July 18, 2017
http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/07/18/537879388/after-liu-xiaobos-death-concerns-grow-for-his-widows-well-being

无国界记者组织在台北设立办公室 呼吁各国营救刘霞重获自由 (Reporters Without Borders sets up office in Taipei and calls countries to rescue Liu Xia)
Radio Free Asia, July 18, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/gangtai/km1-07182017100553.html

Liu Xiaobo’s wife said to be kept off Beijing
EJ Insight, July 18, 2017
http://www.ejinsight.com/20170718-liu-xiaobos-wife-said-to-be-kept-off-beijing/

Commentary (评论)

The logic behind China’s treatment of Liu Xiaobo
Jamil Anderlini, Financial Times, July 19, 2017
https://www.ft.com/content/bd978dc8-6c59-11e7-b9c7-15af748b60d0

Why Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo could be not be silenced
Gregory J. Wallance, The Hill, July 18, 2017
http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/international/342532-why-chinese-dissident-liu-xiaobo-could-be-not-be-silenced

As Liu Xiaobo dies in isolation, it’s time to abandon “quiet diplomacy”
Chang Ping, China Change, July 18, 2017
https://chinachange.org/2017/07/18/as-liu-xiaobo-dies-in-isolation-its-time-to-abandon-quiet-diplomacy/

VOA专访:史密斯议员谈如何延续刘晓波精神遗产 (How to continue Liu Xiaobo’s legacy)
Representative Chris Smith, Voice of America, July 18, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/smith-interview-20170718/3949124.html

The quiet tragedy of China’s dissidents
Max Boot, Commentary Magazine, July 17, 2017
https://www.commentarymagazine.com/foreign-policy/asia/china/liu-xiaobo-dissident-china/

 
 
 
 

News (新闻)

Access to Justice (司法公正)

新疆异议人士张海涛妻请求探监遭拒 (Wife of dissident in Xinjiang denied of visiting her husband)
Radio Free Asia, July 18, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql2-07182017105311.html

武汉王芳被判刑三年 法院拉警戒线阻公民围观 (Activist in Wuhan sentenced to three years in prison, police stop supporters from going to court)
Radio Free Asia, July 18, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf1-07182017105518.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

China’s stopchat: Censors can now erase images mid-transmission
The Wall Street Journal, July 18, 2017
https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-stopchat-censors-can-now-erase-images-mid-transmission-1500363950

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

上海46万“镇保”失地农民代表第33、34次到上海市社会保障局维权 (Reps of farmers who lost their land petition at Shanghai gov’t)
Weiquanwang, July 18, 2017
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2017/07/463334.html

广西青年看守所“肺炎死”惹众怒 北海市200人抗议遭特警驱散 (Mysterious death of young man in a Guangxi detention center triggers anger among hundreds, riot police intervene)
Radio Free Asia, July 18, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/xl2-07182017105438.html

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Is Beijing blocking WhatsApp in mainland China?
South China Morning Post, July 18, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2103168/beijing-blocking-whatsapp-mainland-china

WhatsApp內地受阻 外交部稱不了解 (WhatsApp partially blocked in the mainland; Foreign Ministry: don’t know about the messaging app)
Radio Television Hong Kong, July 18, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1342866-20170718.htm

Hong Kong (香港)

跟蹤朱凱廸三被告判監兩月 一罰160小時服務令 官:案情嚴重須判阻嚇性刑罰 (Three men jailed for two months and one to 160 hours of community service for following Eddie Chu)
Mingpao, July 19, 2017
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20170718/s00001/1500372390290

2萬人聯署反DQ 梁頌恆籲各派團結:對於中共,你們沒有分別 (Over 20,000 sign letter against the disqualification of lawmakers; Leung Chung-hang calls for solidarity amongst different groups)
Inmediahk, July 18, 2017
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1050829

Hong Kong pan-democrats warn of Legislative Council turmoil
South China Morning Post, July 18, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2103118/hong-kong-leader-carrie-lam-non-committal-pan-democrats

Related:
Ousted lawmaker returns to LegCo as a private citizen to advocate welfare for poor families
Hong Kong Free Press, July 18, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/07/18/ousted-lawmaker-returns-legco-private-citizen-advocate-welfare-poor-families/

More Hong Kong pan-democrats in “highly risky” position after ouster of four lawmakers: experts
South China Morning Post, July 18, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2103010/more-hong-kong-pan-democrats-highly-risky-position-after

Commentary (评论)

How China tames dissent on the Internet
The Washington Post, July 18, 2017
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/how-china-tames-dissent-on-the-internet/2017/07/18/43d29b1a-6bf3-11e7-9c15-177740635e83_story.html

The long arm of China’s law is coming down heavy on Hong Kong
Foreign Policy, July 17, 2017
http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/07/17/the-long-arm-of-chinas-law-is-coming-down-heavy-on-hong-kong/