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, February 18, 2016

Access to Information (信息公开)

China to ban foreign companies from online media business
Radio Free Asia, February 17, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/china-to-ban-foreign-companies-from-online-media-business-02172016113408.html

Free speech in China gets an unlikely state-media backer
The Wall Street Journal, February 17, 2016
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2016/02/17/free-speech-in-china-gets-an-unlikely-state-media-backer/

全国96%以上法院开通举报网站, 去年法院受理网络举报37967件 (Over 96% of courts nationwide have opened websites for reporting complaints, with 37,967 complaints received online last year)
Legal Daily, February 17, 2016
http://epaper.legaldaily.com.cn/fzrb/content/20160217/Articel01007GN.htm

河南法院去年收案106万件 (Henan's courts accepted 1.06 million cases last year)
Legal Daily, February 17, 2016
http://epaper.legaldaily.com.cn/fzrb/content/20160217/Articel03003GN.htm

Government Accountability (政府问责)

From trying to leap out windows to fainting with fear...how Chinese corruption suspects react when inspectors call
South China Morning Post, February 17, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1913793/trying-leap-out-windows-fainting-fear-how-chinese

公安部公安改革将有六大突破 (Public Security Bureau's reforms will achieve 6 major breakthroughs in 2016
Legal Daily, February 17, 2016
http://epaper.legaldaily.com.cn/fzrb/content/20160217/Articel03001GN.htm

“刘晓波广场”? 北京盛怒 白宫否决 (Senate bill for naming “Liu Xiaobo Plaza” enrages Beijing, White House to veto it)
Deutsche Welle, February 17, 2016
http://www.dw.com/zh/刘晓波广场-北京盛怒-白宫否决/a-19052572

德国支援受迫害族群协会发表声明驳斥中国政府对多利坤的污蔑 (German Society for Threatened Peoples issues statement refuting Chinese government’s vilification of Uyghur rights leader Dolkan)
Radio Free Asia, February 17, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shaoshuminzu/gr-02172016105046.html

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Apple Pay to be available in China from this week
British Broadcasting Corporation, February 18, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-35601110

网站发帖扰乱社会秩序; 一男子发布虚假信息被行政拘留 (Online post disturbs social order: Man is administratively detained for posting “false” information)
Legal Daily, February 17, 2016
http://epaper.legaldaily.com.cn/fzrb/content/20160217/Articel08003GN.htm

Hong Kong (香港)

From Occupy to ballot box: new Scholarism party could end up clashing with old guard democrats in Legco elections
South China Morning Post, February 17, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1913732/occupy-ballot-box-new-scholarism-party-could-end-clashing

People’s Daily targets Scholarism and Civic Party for “supporting” Mong Kok “rioters”
Hong Kong Free Press, February 16, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/02/16/peoples-daily-calls-out-scholarism-and-civic-party-for-supporting-rioters-of-the-mong-kok-unrest/

China preparing to charge Hong Kong bookseller Lee Bo with blackmail—report
The Guardian, February 17, 2016
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/17/china-preparing-to-charge-hong-kong-bookseller-lee-bo-with-blackmail-report

International publishers urge Chief Executive to take action on missing booksellers
Hong Kong Free Press, February 18, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/02/18/international-publishers-urge-chief-executive-take-action-missing-booksellers/

香港特区立法会保安委会: 严厉谴责暴力袭击执法人员和记者 (LegCo Security Panel sternly denounces violent attacks on law enforcement and journalists)
Legal Daily, February 17, 2016
http://epaper.legaldaily.com.cn/fzrb/content/20160217/Articel01010GN.htm

经济学人指“鱼蛋革命”乃对政府不满北京需正视 (The Economist: “Fishball Revolution” stems from discontent towards government, Beijing should face it squarely)
Radio France Internationale, February 16, 2016
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20160216-经济学人指“鱼蛋革命”乃对政府不满北京需正视

Opinion and Editorial (观点和社论)

Riots have reasons
Tim's Experiment: Thoughts of an old China Hamlett, February 17, 2016
http://timhamlett.com/