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, May 10, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

”Give Liu Xia her freedom”: 24 Hong Kong democrats urge Pres. Xi Jinping to release widow of Peace Prize laureate
Hong Kong Free Press, May 10, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/05/10/give-liu-xia-freedom-24-hong-kong-democrats-urge-pres-xi-jinping-release-widow-peace-prize-laureate/

Abide in darkness: China’s war on religion stalls Vatican deal
The Wall Street Journal, May 9, 2018
https://www.wsj.com/articles/abide-in-darkness-chinas-war-on-religion-puts-vatican-deal-in-doubt-1525858496

周强:坚持中国特色社会主义审判制度 (Supreme People’s Court president Zhou Qiang: A socialist trial system with Chinese characteristics in the new era must uphold CPC’s leadership)
Legal Daily, May 9, 2018
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2018-05/09/content_7540968.htm?node=5955

Authorities in Xinjiang’s Kashgar detain Uyghurs at “open political re-education camps”
Radio Free Asia, May 9, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/camps-05092018154928.html

China to target religious activities of foreign nationals with revised rules
宗教局出台辣招打击境内外国人宗教活动
Radio Free Asia, May 9, 2018
EN: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/religious-05092018120457.html
CH: https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/religion-05092018071048.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

The popular TV shows taking Chinese soft power abroad
Sixth Tone, May 9, 2018
http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1002235/the-popular-tv-shows-taking-chinese-soft-power-abroad

抖音邀请各界代表共同拟订“社区公约”:禁止什么,弘扬什么 (Video app Douyin invites representatives from “all walks of life” to jointly draft “community convention” to decide what should be prohibited, promoted)
China News Service, May 9, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2119195

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Looking for Rohmer challenges China's cinematic gay taboo
British Broadcasting Corporation, May 10, 2018
http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-china-blog-44000069

Van drivers across China go on strike protesting Lalamove pay cuts
China Labor Bulletin, May 9, 2018
http://www.clb.org.hk/content/van-drivers-across-china-go-strike-protesting-lalamove-pay-cuts

逾百尘肺病患者连日在深圳市政府维权 (Over 100 workers suffering from pneumoconiosis protest in Shenzhen for compensation at city government)
Radio Free Asia, May 9, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/gf1-05092018100333.html

陕西省原民、代、幼教师一千多人今天在该省信访局上访 (Over 1,000 school teachers in Shaanxi petition at province capital for social insurance payments)
Weiquanwang, May 9, 2018
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2018/05/blog-post_57.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

10 years after tragic quake, China calls for “thanksgiving”
中国称川震十周年纪念为“感恩日”引发不满
The New York Times, May 10, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/10/world/asia/china-sichuan-earthquake-thanksgiving.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20180510/10-years-after-deadly-earthquake-china-calls-for-thanksgiving/

Former head of China's Anbang jailed for 18 years
British Broadcasting Corporation, May 10, 2018
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-44063780

How Chinese police interviews fail sexually abused kids
Sixth Tone, May 9, 2018
http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1002238/How%20Chinese%20Police%20Interviews%20Fail%20Sexually%20Abused%20Kids

Hong Kong exported more construction waste to mainland China than it sent to city’s own facilities in 2017
South China Morning Post, May 9, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2145418/hong-kong-exported-more-construction-waste

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Facial recognition tech is creepy when it works—and creepier when it doesn’t
Wired, May 9, 2018
https://www.wired.com/story/facial-recognition-tech-creepy-works-or-not/

For better or worse, Africa’s digital future is tied to China
China File, May 9, 2018
http://www.chinafile.com/library/china-africa-project/better-or-worse-africas-digital-future-tied-china

中国网络社会组织联合会在京成立 (Jack Ma, Ma Huateng chair China Federation of Internet Societies consisting of 300 groups to study and implement Xi Jinping thought and promote “correct political direction”)
Cyberspace Administration of China, May 9, 2018
http://www.cac.gov.cn/2018-05/09/c_1122808560.htm

Related:
China sets up federation for Internet-related social organizations
Xinhua News Agency, May 9, 2017
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-05/09/c_137167173.htm

一下科技成立党组织,创始人:将政治素质纳入晋升考核要素中 (Founder of Yixia Technology “excited” to establish Party cell, will include “political quality caliber” as key factor in employee promotion)
Beijing Internet Association Party Committee, May 9, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2119869

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

China's anti-spy campaign: Cash rewards and warnings of “dangerous times”
The Guardian, May 10, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/10/chinas-anti-spy-campaign-cash-rewards-and-warnings-about-red-heads

Hong Kong (香港)

Tell UN of “thwarted” universal suffrage goals and “retrogression” in Hongkongers’ political rights, Bar Association urges government
South China Morning Post, May 10, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-law-and-crime/article/2145386/tell-un-thwarted-goals-and-retrogression

Related:
Comments of The Hong Kong Bar Association (“HKBA”) on the Outline of The Third Report of The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (“HKSAR”) for the United Nations Human Rights Council (“Council) Universal Periodic Review (“UPR”)
Hong Kong Bar Association, May 7, 2018
https://bit.ly/2IqY7KV

Organizers of Hong Kong’s July 1 march Civil Human Rights Front denied use of Victoria Park soccer pitches after priority given to pro-Beijing groups for second year running
South China Moring Post, May 10, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2145497/hong-kong-july-1-march-organisers-lose-venue-priority-pro

Forced labor must be criminalized in Hong Kong to protect thousands of "invisible" victims, Raza Husain QC tells High Court
South China Moring Post, May 10, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-law-and-crime/article/2145433/forced-labour-must-be-criminalised-hong-kong

Commentary (评论)

中國網絡集權體制的新聞挑戰 (How China’s centralized Internet poses challenges to journalism)
Mingpao, May 10, 2018
https://news.mingpao.com/pns/dailynews/web_tc/article/20180510/s00012/1525888835082

How PRC diplomatic messaging impedes its foreign policy objectives
The Jamestown Foundation, May 9, 2018
https://jamestown.org/program/how-prc-diplomatic-messaging-impedes-its-foreign-policy-objectives/