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.

Friday, December 02, 2022

Protests in China (中国:抗议活动)

"白纸运动"民众被抓 多位律师提供援助遭辱骂、威胁(Many of the lawyers providing legal assistance to those arrested in White Paper Movement are verbally abused, threatened)
Radio Free Asia, December 1, 2022

China protests: The young people powering the demonstrations
驱动中国反“清零”抗议示威的年轻一代
BBC News, December 2, 2022

Winnie the Pooh joins Chinese Covid lockdown protests
The Guardian, December 2, 2022

Harsh lockdowns have united the Chinese
The Economist, December 1, 2022

'Don't yell that': Fears compete with calls for 'freedom' at China protests
Reuters, December 2, 2022

Inspired by rare protests on mainland, Chinese students in North America organise and speak out
South China Morning Post, December 2, 2022

China's Reach & Internal Control (中国:内控与外扩)

China Clamps Down on Internet as It Seeks to Stamp Out Covid Protests
中国指示科技公司加大网络审查力度,以遏制反封控抗议
The Wall Street Journal, December 1-2, 2022

‘They are deleting our images’: Chinese protesters detail digital censorship, VPN struggles as fight over COVID lockdowns grows
The Daily Dot, December 2, 2022

“‘The Chinese authorities are faced with steep legitimacy and regime stability challenges posed by these multi-city protests now also morphing into attacks on the central government and even naming the self-proclaimed “general” of China’s war against COVID—Xi Jinping,’ said Sharon Hom, the Executive Director of Human Rights in China, while talking to the Daily Dot.

“‘The usual social control tools of an authoritarian regime—online censorship, surveillance, intimidation, and targeting and detention of protestors—may not be effective in the longer term to deal with the explosion of online and offline expression and protest actions,’ she added.”

“白纸运动”背后是美国的5亿经费?阴谋论是如何在中国社媒上传开的(U.S. is using $5 billion to fund "White Paper Movement"? How a conspiracy theory spreads on Chinese social media)
Voice of America, December 2, 2022

China brings in ‘emergency’ level censorship over zero-Covid protests
The Guardian, December 2, 2022

China hosts Asia security group’s talks on building regional influence
South China Morning Post, December 2, 2022

International Responses (国际反应)

U.S. senators warn China against any violent crackdown on protests)
Reuters, December 1, 2022, 2022

Related:
42名美国参议员警告中国不要暴力镇压抗议活动(42 U.S. senators warn China against violent crackdown on protests)
Voice of America, December 2, 2022

英国会睽违16年正式访台 北京:粗暴干涉中国内政(UK parliamentary committee visits Taiwan; China slams it as “gross interference” in China's internal affairs)
Deutsche Welle, December 1, 2022

UK council rejects China’s plan to build new embassy in London
Hong Kong Free Press, December 2, 2022

Canada issues ‘cease and desist’ warning to China over ‘police stations’ in Ottawa
The Guardian, December 1, 2022

Human Rights Defenders & Civil Society (人权捍卫者与公民社会)

Prominent Shanghai housing rights advocate given second jail term by Chinese court
Radio Free Asia, December 1, 2022

Hong Kong’s ban on urging blank votes is ‘unconstitutional’ and limits freedom, lawyer tells court
Hong Kong Free Press, December 2, 2022

Hong Kong vigilante given suspended sentence for damaging Falun Gong property, claiming national security law allows him to do it
South China Morning Post, December 1, 2022

5人涉金鐘「反極權遊行」認暴動罪入獄30至36個月 官指案件屬悲劇推手卻享政治紅利(Five are sentenced to 30-36 months in prison after pleading guilty to rioting in 2019 ‘anti-totalitarianism’ protest)
Ming Pao, December 2, 2022

保安局指曾志豪《明報》文章淡化本港不穩徵兆表遺憾(Security Bureau expresses regrets about Ming Pao article by former radio host Gary Tsang which downplayed signs of instability in Hong Kong)
Ming Pao, December 2, 2022

Law & Policy (法律与政策)

China Eases Virus Controls Amid Effort to Head off Protests
The Diplomat, December 2, 2022

After Mass Protests, China Appears to Back Away From Harsh Covid Rules
全国多地抗议后,中国释放调整“清零”政策信号

The New York Times, December 2, 2022

How Nationalism and Xeno­phobia Drive China’s ‘Zero COVID’ Policy
The Diplomat, December 1, 2022

Current Topics (热门话题)

After Xi’s Coronation, a Roar of Discontent Against His Hard-Line Politics
习近平“加冕”后,抗议浪潮挑战其威权统治

The New York Times, December 2, 2022

As Officials Ease Restrictions, China Faces New Pandemic Risks
中国防疫困境:“清零”难持续,开放恐致病例灾难性激增

The New York Times, December 2, 2022

Commentary & Analysis (评论与分析)

Xi Broke the Social Contract That Helped China Prosper
习近平打破了中共建立的社会契约

The New York Times, December 2, 2022

The Communist Party Is Losing China’s People
中国共产党正在失去民心

The New York Times, December 2, 2022

The Problem With Zero
Foreign Affairs, December 2, 2022

What 1989 can teach us about the recent protests in China
The Economist, December 1, 2022

China’s foreign interference narrative fails to demonize the nationwide anti-zero COVID protests
GlobalVoices, December 1, 2022

The Social Explosion of China’s Pent-up Pain
The Nation, December 1, 2022