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, December 04, 2017

Access to Justice (司法公正)

天津起火大厦事故调查结果公布 11人被刑拘 (Tianjin releases investigation report on deadly skyscraper fire and criminally detains 11)
Beijing News, December 3, 2017
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/news/2017/12/03/466856.html

Related:
Chinese police detain 11 over deadly Tianjin skyscraper fire
Reuters, December 3, 2017
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-fire/chinese-police-detain-11-over-deadly-tianjin-skyscraper-fire-idUSKBN1DX0CM

Chinese construction worker locked up for burning old tires to keep warm in freezing temperatures
South China Morning Post, December 3, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2122673/chinese-construction-worker-locked-burning-old-tyres-keep-warm

教育部司法部将开展大中小学“宪法晨读” (Ministry of Education and Ministry of Justice to organize primary and middle school students to read China's constitution in morning)
China Education Daily, December 1, 2017
http://paper.jyb.cn/zgjyb/html/2017-12/01/content_490282.htm?div=-1

Access to Information (信息公开)

China’s newest propaganda weapon: WeChat stickers
Quartz, December 4, 2017
https://qz.com/1145696/china-communist-partys-newest-propaganda-weapon-wechat-stickers/

Xi Jinping renews “cyber sovereignty” call at China’s top meeting of Internet minds
South China Morning Post, December 3, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2122683/xi-jinping-renews-cyber-sovereignty-call-chinas-top

Related:
China’s top ideologue calls for tight control of Internet
The New York Times, December 3, 2017
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/03/world/asia/china-internet-censorship-wang-huning.html

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

China’s transport workers stage strikes in protest at fuel price hikes
China Labor Bulletin, December 4, 2017
http://www.clb.org.hk/content/china%E2%80%99s-transport-workers-stage-strikes-protest-fuel-price-hikes

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

做全球最大的司法信息资源库——中国司法大数据服务网上线记 (China launches Justice Big Data Service Platform, aiming to become world's biggest)
Supreme People’s Court, December 1, 2017
http://www.court.gov.cn/zixun-xiangqing-71282.html

Hong Kong (香港)

「反威權」遊行2000人參與 (2,000 join “anti-authoritarianism” march)
Mingpao, December 4, 2017
https://news.mingpao.com/pns/dailynews/web_tc/article/20171204/s00002/1512324465582

Related:
“The Hong Kong spirit can never be imprisoned”: Joshua Wong leads “anti-authoritarian” march
Hong Kong Free Press, December 3, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/12/03/hong-kong-spirit-can-never-imprisoned-joshua-wong-leads-anti-authoritarian-march/

【中國式國安威脅香港法治?】 眾學者憂慮中國對憲法法治威脅 (Scholars worry Chinese-style national security endangers rule of law in Hong Kong)
Inmediahk, December 4, 2017
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1053680

Related:
王志民指憲法與基本法屬母法與子法關係不可分割 (Liaison Office head says China’s constitution is “mother law” and the Basic Law is “son law”, and their ties can’t be severed)
Radio Television Hong Kong, December 4, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1368231-20171204.htm

英女同志配偶簽證案 入境處獲批上訴 指涉重大公眾重要性 (HK top court approves Immigration Department to appeal British lesbian couple’s dependent visa case)
Mingpao, December 4, 2017
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20171204/s00001/1512359514709

Related:
Hong Kong Immigration to fight decision on lesbian expat’s spousal visa at top court
Hong Kong Free Press, December 4, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/12/04/hong-kong-immigration-fight-decision-lesbian-expats-spousal-visa-top-court/

Declassified: Hong Kong activists failed to broaden support after Tiananmen, governor said in 1989
Hong Kong Free Press, December 4, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/12/04/declassified-hong-kong-activists-failed-broaden-support-tiananmen-governor-said-1989/

Commentary (评论)

Hong Kong may not yet be “another Chinese city”, but it’s feeling a lot like Singapore
Hong Kong Free Press, December 4, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/12/04/hong-kong-may-not-yet-another-chinese-city-feeling-lot-like-singapore/

China isn't taking over the world just yet
The Sydney Morning Herald, December 4, 2017
http://www.smh.com.au/business/china/china-isnt-taking-over-the-world-just-yet-20171203-gzxzra.html

葉劉低貶香港粵語為怪話,理應道歉 (Regina Ip belittles Cantonese as “lingo” and she should apologize)
Inmediahk, December 4, 2017
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1053674