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.

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Jailed Taiwan activist Lee Ming-cheh denied correspondence rights by China, wife says
Agence France-Presse, March 29, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/29/jailed-taiwan-activist-lee-ming-cheh-denied-correspondence-rights-china-wife-says/

一部电影让他失去十年青春和自由 (He lost ten years of youth and freedom for making a documentary)
Voice of America, March 29, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/tibetan-filmmaker-20180328/4321410.html

China detains “underground” bishop with role in deal with Vatican
Reuters, March 28, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-china-bishop/china-detains-underground-bishop-with-role-in-deal-with-vatican-idUSKBN1H4196?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

China’s supreme court calls for more leniency in air gun cases
Sixthtone, March 28, 2018
http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1002013/China%E2%80%99s%20Supreme%20Court%20Calls%20for%20More%20Leniency%20in%20Air%20Gun%20Cases

Chinese police jail two women over “vehicle reversing” video clip
武汉市民因“倒车”视频遭超期羁押后获释
Radio Free Asia, March 27, 2018
EN: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/chinese-police-jail-two-women-over-vehicle-reversing-video-clip-03282018104812.html
CH: https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/gf2-03272018103516.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

Shanghai to ease restrictions on foreign law firms
Shanghai Daily, March 29, 2018
http://english.sina.com/buz/b/2018-03-29/detail-ifyssmmc0860684.shtml

When Xi met Kim: How China and North Korea depicted it
中朝媒体如何报道金正恩访华?
The New York Times, March 28, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/28/world/asia/xi-jinping-kim-jong-un-meeting-.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/asia-pacific/20180329/xi-jinping-kim-jong-un-meeting-/

台电影大陆遭封杀 国台办要禁台独艺人 (China bans a Taiwan movie, Taiwan Affairs Office says China will block actors who support Taiwan independence)
Radio Free Asia, March 28, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/gangtai/hcm1-03282018104725.html

有企业规定不转发单位公号文章就扣钱, 有公司要求员工二十四小时打开定位系统, 一些企业内部管理奇葩规定有侵权之嫌 (Companies demand employees to turn on GPS 24/7, repost companies’ public account articles on personal WeChat or have pay docked)
Legal Daily, March 27, 2018
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2018-03/27/content_7506291.htm?node=5955

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

现代版连坐第一案 “屠夫”父亲诉国家赔偿1千万 (Right activist “Butcher” Wu Gan’s father file court action against China for arbitrary arrest and harassment)
Radio Free Asia, March 28, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/gf1-03282018110616.html

China is trying to prevent the formation of a vocal Uighur diaspora
The Economist, March 28, 2018
https://www.economist.com/news/china/21739777-it-has-persuaded-friendly-countries-send-lots-them-home-china-trying-prevent

Government Accountability (政府问责)

七城市国控空气监测站点受人为干扰 相关人员被处理 (Seven cities officials are held accountable for cheating air quality monitoring station)
Chinanews.com, March 29, 2018
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2018/03-29/8478750.shtml

第二批中央环保督察7省份共问责1048人 其中省部级3人(Central environmental inspectors scrutinized, 1048 held accountable, including 3 provincial level officials)
Beijing News, March 29, 2018
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/news/2018/03/29/481108.html

China urges northern cities to shut factories as smog builds - report
Reuters, March 27, 2018
https://goo.gl/c53gNA

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

五角大楼顾问警告:中国人工智能武器不得不防 (Pentagon advisor warns of China’s “artificial intelligence weapon”)
Voice of America, March 29, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/china-ai-20180329/4321837.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Hong Kong privacy watchdog demands answers from Facebook on data security after Cambridge Analytica scandal
South China Morning Post, March 28, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2139340/hong-kong-privacy-watchdog-demands-answers-facebook-data

Airbnb China tells hosts it will share their data with the gov’t from Friday
Hong Kong Free Press, March 28, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/28/airbnb-china-tells-hosts-will-share-data-govt-friday/

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

China academics divided over Australia influence crackdown
The Financial Times, March 28, 2018
https://www.ft.com/content/d79f10c4-3224-11e8-b5bf-23cb17fd1498

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong court rejects legal bid to disqualify pro-democracy lawmaker Au Nok-hin
Hong Kong Free Press, March 29, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/29/breaking-hong-kong-court-rejects-legal-bid-disqualify-pro-democracy-lawmaker-au-nok-hin/

Hong Kong youth commission starts work, as teenager becomes youngest adviser to the government
South China Morning Post, March 29, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2139359/hong-kong-youth-commission-starts-work-teenager-becomes

Related:

反佔中青年自薦加入成功 團體批新青年委員會「掩耳盜鈴」促全港青年民選產生 (Groups criticize Youth Development Commission choice of vocal anti-Occupy youth as advisor, urge direct election of representatives by all Hong Kong youth)
Inmedia, March 29, 2018
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1056079

Rent control, subsidies dismissed for Hong Kong – “but we’ll build more flats”, leader Carrie Lam says
South China Morning Post, March 28, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2139285/rent-control-subsidies-dismissed-hong-kong-well-build-more

Hong Kong lawmakers receive letters calling for “assassination” of election officers and justice chief
Hong Kong Free Press, March 28, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/28/hong-kong-lawmakers-receive-letters-calling-assassination-election-officers-justice-chief/

Hong Kong Baptist University student union hopeful has ‘no bottom line’, vows to continue Mandarin fight
South China Morning Post, March 28, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2139330/hong-kong-baptist-university-student-union-hopeful-has-no

Commentary (评论)

Can Xi Jinping make use of the power he has accumulated?
The Economist, March 29, 2018
https://www.economist.com/news/china/21739770-promoting-party-expense-bureaucracy-deters-reform-can-xi-jinping-make-use

Can China's great show of unity last?
The Diplomat, March 28, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/03/can-chinas-great-show-of-unity-last/

Chairman Xi, Chinese idol
China File, March 14, 2018
http://www.chinafile.com/library/nyrb-china-archive/chairman-xi-chinese-idol