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, February 14, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

国际律师协会呼吁中国尊重律师工作权利 (International Bar Association urges China to respect lawyers' right to practice)
Voice of America, February 14, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/china-lawyer-20180213/4252312.html

Related:
IBAHRI open letter calls on President Xi Jinping to end persecution of legal professionals in China
International Bar Association, February 12, 2018
https://www.ibanet.org/Article/NewDetail.aspx?ArticleUid=57098790-0ba1-46ad-97ff-afd0a14cf866

广东公安:黑恶势力3月1日前自首可依法从轻处罚 (Guangdong police pledges to show mercy if the "black and evil powers" turn themselves in before March 1st)
Guangdong Satellite TV, February 14, 2018
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1998734

程海律师:北京悟天律师所被非法强制注销经过和初步维权情况 (Law firm in Beijing forced to shut down as founder fights back)
Weiquanwang, February 13, 2018
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2018/02/blog-post_29.html

Chinese police hold outspoken head of human rights campaign group
中国人权观察徐秦失联 或遭刑拘
Radio Free Asia, February 13, 2018
EN: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/chinese-police-hold-outspoken-head-of-human-rights-campaign-group-02132018093858.html
CH: https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf1-02132018111337.html

春节临近郝志全被取保,嵇书龙由指定监视居住改逮捕 (Environmental activist Ji Shulong arrested before Chinese New Year shortly after her partner Hao Zhiquan gets released on bail)
Weiquanwang, February 13, 2018
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2018/02/blog-post_16.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

“You are our lucky star”: Chinese media in overdrive on Xi Jinping's New Year tour
The Guardian, February 14, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/14/lucky-star-chinese-media-overdrive-xi-jinping-new-year-tour

China’s united front work: propaganda as policy
The Diplomat, February 14, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/02/chinas-united-front-work-propaganda-as-policy/

网络表演市场专项整治行动开展 (Ministry of Culture launches campaign to regulate Internet live-streaming market and shut down platforms with “vulgar” content and “deviant values”)
Legal Daily, February 13, 2018
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2018-02/13/content_7475543.htm?node=5955

Related:
国家网信办依法查处一批严重违规网络直播平台和主播 (Cyberspace Administration of China investigates and takes actions against live-streaming platforms and hosts that seriously violate laws)
Cyberspace Administration of China, February 13, 2018
http://www.cac.gov.cn/2018-02/13/c_1122415948.htm

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

China’s Catholics rue church’s slide as powers debate control
The New York Times, February 14, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/14/world/asia/china-catholics-vatican.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Chinese businesswomen “detained in fallout from graft investigation into former Communist high-flyer Sun Zhengcai”
South China Morning Post, February 14, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2133249/chinese-businesswomen-detained-fallout-graft

Former China Internet regulator accused of corruption
The Wall Street Journal, February 13, 2018
https://www.wsj.com/articles/former-china-internet-regulator-accused-of-corruption-1518528434

Where is rural rejuvenation leading China?
The Diplomat, February 13, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/02/where-is-rural-rejuvenation-leading-china/

中央纪委:扫黑除恶专项斗争中重点查处这三类问题 (Central Commission for Discipline Inspection pledges to focus on fight against abuses of power and corruption)
Xinhua News Agency, February 13, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/2018-02/13/c_1122415668.htm

非法社会组织冠国字号招摇撞骗 民政部再公布42家 (Ministry of Civil Affairs bans another 42 “illegal” social organizations from carrying out activities)
Ministry of Civil Affairs, February 13, 2018
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1998600

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

India hopes to become an AI powerhouse by copying China’s model
Quartz, February 14, 2018
https://qz.com/1198182/modi-government-pushes-for-artificial-intelligence-like-china-but-is-india-ready-for-it/

不交出用户资料 华硕霸气关闭中国资料中心与云储服务 (Asus shuts down data center and stops cloud service in refusal to comply with mainland Cybersecurity Law and hand over users' data)
China Times, February 14, 2018
http://www.chinatimes.com/cn/realtimenews/20180212001968-260412

农村“雪亮工程”首次纳入中央一号文件, 专家分析公共安全视频监控如何实现全覆盖 (CPC, State Council unveil rural vitalization strategy that includes “total coverage” public security video surveillance project)
Legal Daily, February 13, 2018
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2018-02/13/content_7474994.htm

As China marches forward on A.I., the White House is silent
中国拥抱人工智能之际,美国日渐沉默
The New York Times, February 12, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/12/technology/china-trump-artificial-intelligence.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20180213/china-trump-artificial-intelligence/

Hong Kong (香港)

"Inaccurate” to assume landmark ruling means Agnes Chow will win appeal against by-election ban, Hong Kong Executive Council member says
South China Morning Post, February 14, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2133321/inaccurate-assume-landmark-ruling-means-agnes-chow-will-win

Related:
陳浩天選舉呈請敗訴 「法院站在中共威權一方」 (High Court dismisses Chan Ho-Tin’s election petition as Chan claims “court stands by the CPC autocracy”)
Inmediahk, February 13, 2018
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1055176

Ming Pao staff assoc. urges police to follow up on assault against reporter during 2016 Mong Kok unrest
Hong Kong Free Press, February 14, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/02/14/ming-pao-staff-assoc-urges-police-follow-assault-reporter-2016-mong-kok-unrest/

12萬月薪聘無人權經驗好友 陳章明否認用人唯親 (Equal Opportunities Commission chief Alfred Chan hires friend with no human right experience to top job, as Chan denies accusation of “cronyism”)
Stand News, February 14, 2018
https://goo.gl/cvTZyQ

Judge quashes foreign domestic worker’s bid for change to “live-out” rule in Hong Kong
South China Morning Post, February 14, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/2133296/judge-quashes-domestic-workers-bid-change-live-out-rule-hong

Hong Kong activists may face additional charges over protest against Beijing’s Basic Law intervention
Hong Kong Free Press, February 13, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/02/13/hong-kong-activists-may-face-additional-charges-protest-beijings-basic-law-intervention/

No space for love in Hong Kong
到時鐘酒店尋找私人空間的香港戀人
British Broadcasting Corporation, February 13, 2018
EN: http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-43054984/no-space-for-love-in-hong-kong
CH: http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/chinese-news-43032621

Commentary (评论)

判詞暴露DQ周庭不符程序公義 政治凌駕法律 (Latest High Court decision shows disqualification of Agnes Chow falls short of procedural justice, as politics overrides the law)
Inmediahk, February 14, 2018
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1055182

兩篇有關中央對港政策的新文章 (2 new articles that reflect the latest CPC’s policies of Hong Kong)
Mingpao, February 14, 2018
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20180214/s00022/1518527541219

孙政才罪名诡秘 杀鸡给猴看? (Are the charges against Sun Zhengcai aimed to “kill the chicken to scare the monkeys”?)
Radio France Internationale, February 14, 2018
https://goo.gl/pBsa5g

Is this the year China gets serious about ending rural poverty?
The Diplomat, February 13, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/02/is-this-the-year-china-gets-serious-about-ending-rural-poverty/

Defending America means defending democracy
Foreign Policy, February 13, 2018
http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/02/13/defending-america-means-defending-democracy-china-russia-trump/

The problem with China’s latest anti-mafia crackdown
中国最新扫黑运动的问题所在
Human Rights Watch, February 13, 2018
EN: https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/02/13/problem-chinas-latest-anti-mafia-crackdown
CH: https://www.hrw.org/zh-hans/news/2018/02/13/315072