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, January 08, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

长沙辅警棒杀金毛犬 男子散布辅警住址被拘5天 (Man detained for 5 days for putting home address of dog-killing auxiliary police online)
Changsha Police, January 7, 2018
http://news.sina.com.cn/c/nd/2018-01-07/doc-ifyqincv0565680.shtml

Access to Information (信息公开)

Foreign academics confront Chinese censorship
China Digital Times, January 5, 2018
https://chinadigitaltimes.net/2018/01/foreign-academics-debate-confront-chinese-censorship/

Related:
China’s “long arm”
Inside Higher Ed, January 3, 2018
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/01/03/scholars-and-politicians-raise-concerns-about-chinese-governments-influence-over

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Workers don’t need threats, just the chance to negotiate
China Labor Bulletin, January 8, 2018
http://www.clb.org.hk/content/workers-don%E2%80%99t-need-threats-just-chance-negotiate

中国曹顺利人权团队在上海的部分人权捍卫者近日第4次上街举牌要求中共政权立即释放全国政治犯并解除党禁报禁 (Human rights defenders in Shanghai hold placards on street demanding release of political prisoners and allowing political parties and media to operate freely)
Weiquanwang, January 7, 2018
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2018/01/4.html

Zhen Jianghua: The perilous life of a young activist in China
China Change, January 5, 2018
https://chinachange.org/2018/01/05/zhen-jianghua-the-perilous-life-of-a-young-activist-in-china/

众律师就王全璋律师、李昱函律师权益遭侵害事宜上访中华全国律师协会情况通报 (Update on a group of lawyers petition at All China Lawyers Association for Wang Quanzhang and Li Yuhan)
Weiquanwang, January 5, 2018
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2018/01/blog-post_90.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China to move millions of people from homes in anti-poverty drive
The Guardian, January 7, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/07/china-move-millions-people-homes-anti-poverty-drive

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Garbage-sorting violators in China now risk being punished with a junk credit rating
Quartz, January 8, 2018
https://qz.com/1173975/garbage-sorting-violators-in-china-risk-getting-a-junk-credit-rating/

Beijing bets on facial recognition in a big drive for total surveillance
The Washington Post, January 7, 2018
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/world/wp/2018/01/07/feature/in-china-facial-recognition-is-sharp-end-of-a-drive-for-total-surveillance/

大数据面前无隐私,到底谁才是老大哥 (No privacy in front of big data, so who is the Big Brother?)
People’s Daily, January 7, 2018
http://bit.ly/2qGVf4S

Related:
An Orwellian future is taking shape in China
The Sydney Morning Herald, January 8, 2018
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/an-orwellian-future-is-taking-shape-in-china-20171220-h07vbw.html

百度回应被消保委起诉:没有能力监听电话,也不会申请这权限 (Sued by Consumer Protection Commission, Baidu asserts it has no capacity to tap phones and won’t seek such authorization)
The Paper, January 5, 2018
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1937672

中央网信办、发展改革委、工业和信息化部联合开展公共信息资源开放试点工作 (CAC, NDRC, and MIIT launch joint pilot program to build interactive database for open information resources in Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guizhou by end of 2018)
Cyberspace Administration of China, January 5, 2018
http://www.cac.gov.cn/2018-01/05/c_1122215495.htm

Hong Kong (香港)

Outgoing HKU chief says Beijing officials meet him “all the time” and wishes higher education “wasn’t so politicised”
South China Morning Post, January 8, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2127160/outgoing-hku-head-says-beijing-officials-meet-him-all-time

Related:
中大多個學生會聯署 盼段崇智保持風骨、捍衛言論自由 (CUHK student unions join signature campaign urging new university chief to keep integrity and protect freedom of speech)
Mingpao, January 8, 2018
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20180108/s00001/1515382837351

“Morale crisis”: Protesters march in support of police and demand Chinese judges after ex-cop jailed for assault
Hong Kong Free Press, January 8, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/08/morale-crisis-protesters-march-support-police-demand-chinese-judges-ex-cop-jailed-assault/

Related:
Bar association condemns insults directed at non-Chinese judge in Hong Kong who jailed senior policeman
South China Morning Post, January 8, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2127157/bar-association-condemns-insults-directed-non-chinese-judge

No candidates for HKU student union leadership as fear of political repercussions cited
South China Morning Post, January 8, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2127227/no-candidates-hku-student-union-leadership-fear-political

Related:
學生會周年大選接獲投訴 選委會被指無理取消提名資格 (HKU Student Union’s Electoral Committee challenged for barring candidate from general election)
Undergrad, January 7, 2018
https://www.undergrad.hk/15741

Hong Kong justice secretary’s home controversy prompts review of integrity checks
South China Morning Post, January 7, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2127203/hong-kong-justice-secretary-home-controversy-prompts-review

Related:
New Hong Kong Justice Sec. Teresa Cheng should resign over “illegal” structures scandal, says top lawyer Lawrence Lok
Hong Kong Free Press, January 8, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/08/new-hong-kong-justice-sec-teresa-cheng-resign-illegal-structures-scandal-says-top-lawyer-lawrence-lok/

Ex-leader of Hong Kong Christian Council slams Beijing for reviving “autocracy”
South China Morning Post, January 7, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2127174/ex-leader-hong-kong-christian-council-slams-beijing-exerting

Commentary (评论)

Too busy to be kind? We Hongkongers have no excuse
South China Morning Post, January 8, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2127288/too-busy-be-kind-we-hongkongers-have-no-excuse

Carrie Lam’s pathetic response to co-location fears: ignore the criticism, attack the critics
Hong Kong Free Press, January 7, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/07/carrile-lams-pathetic-response-co-location-fears-ignore-criticism-attack-critics/

Months after being barred from Hong Kong, Immigration refuses to provide me with answers
Hong Kong Free Press, January 7, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/07/months-barred-hong-kong-immigration-refuses-provide-answers/

人大常委會一言九鼎,鄭若驊應該被DQ! (According to NPC’s paramount interpretation of the Basic Law, Teresa Cheng should be disqualified!)
Inmediahk, January 7, 2018
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1054364

錢鋼專文:2017語象報告─「習語」體系確立 (Qian Gang’s 2017 word usage report: Establishment of “Xi Narrative” system)
The Storm Media, January 6, 2018
http://www.storm.mg/article/381189

A Chinese empire reborn
中國,一個復興的帝國
The New York Times, January 5, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/05/sunday-review/china-military-economic-power.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/opinion/20180108/china-military-economic-power/zh-hant/