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.

Monday, April 11, 2016

Access to Justice (司法公正)

New rules to protect China’s workplace whistle-blowers
South China Morning Post, Saturday 9, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1934772/new-rules-protect-chinas-workplace-whistle-blowers

Court to hear China’s first transgender labor discrimination case
Washington Post, April 10, 2016
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/04/10/court-to-hear-chinas-first-transgender-labor-discrimination-case/

Access to Information (信息公开)

China blocks “Time,” “Economist” websites
Voice of America, April 9, 2016
http://www.voanews.com/content/china-blocks-time-economist-websites/3277926.html

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Labor activist He Xiaobo released on bail after four months in detention
China Labor Bulletin, April 8, 2016
http://www.clb.org.hk/content/labour-activist-he-xiaobo-released-bail-after-four-months-detention

Mainland China jails activists who supported Hong Kong democracy protests
South China Morning Post, April 8, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1934765/mainland-china-jails-activists-who-supported-hong-kong

Related:
缅甸释113政治犯之际中国重判6维权人士 引发中国网民热议 (Myanmar releases 113 political prisoners while China heavily sentences 6 rights defenders, sparks heated discussion among Chinese netizens)
Radio Free Asia, April 10, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/xl1-04102016102930.html

香港支联会抗议中国“煽颠罪”严判政治犯 (HK Alliance protests at the Liaison Office against heavy sentencing of political prisoners with “inciting subversion of state power”)
Voice of America, April 8, 2016
http://www.voachinese.com/content/hkalliance-protest-activist-sentencing-20160408/3276286.html

Chinese citizens protest state firm’s plan to buy Syngenta, pointing to fears over GMO
South China Morning Post, April 8, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1934734/chinese-citizens-protest-state-firms-plan-buy-syngenta

Tibetans protest dismissal from their jobs, are detained
Radio Free Asia, April 8, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/dismissal-04082016140116.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

What do the Panama Papers reveal about China?
The Diplomat, April 9, 2016
http://thediplomat.com/2016/04/what-do-the-panama-papers-reveal-about-china/

“I have nothing to hide”: son of late Chinese leader Hu Yaobang named in leaked “Panama Papers” admits having offshore company
South China Morning Post, April 8, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1934671/i-have-nothing-hide-son-late-chinese-leader-hu-yaobang

China investigates former official of Sichuan province over graft
Reuters, April 9, 2016
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-corruption-idUSKCN0X701C

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

U.S. cites Chinese internet filters as trade barrier
South China Morning Post, April 8, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1934771/us-cites-chinese-internet-filters-trade-barrier

Hong Kong (香港)

Britain's Hammond says bookseller removed from Hong Kong under duress
Reuters, April 8, 2016
http://in.reuters.com/article/britain-china-booksellers-idINKCN0X510G

UK Foreign Sec. Philip Hammond to discuss Hong Kong freedoms, autonomy with CY Leung
Hong Kong Free Press, April 8, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/04/08/uk-foreign-sec-philip-hammond-to-discuss-hong-kong-freedoms-autonomy-with-cy-leung/

Bookseller disappearances raise concerns about “safety and security” of foreigners in Hong Kong, says German consul
South China Morning Post, April 10, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1935035/bookseller-disappearances-raise-concerns-about-safety-and

They’re young, vocal and very, very determined...but how do Hong Kong’s newest political parties differ?
South China Morning Post, April 11, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1935118/theyre-young-vocal-and-very-very-determined-how-do-hong

HK's Joshua Wong: “Street activism is not enough”
British Broadcasting Corporation, April 11, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-35994472

環時形容香港眾志「又一個港獨黨」 稱鼓吹港獨即非法組織 未註冊社團募捐亦違法 (Global Times describes Demosisto as “another party for Hong Kong’s independence”, claiming promotion of independence constitutes illegal organization and fundraising of unregistered group is illegal)
Ming Pao, April 11, 2016
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20160411/s00004/1460350759774

Related:
Hong Kong independence not feasible ... for now, says new pro-democracy group Demosisto
“香港众志”创党推2026自决公投 罗冠聪舒琪拟选立会
South China Morning Post, April 10, 2016
EN: http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1935019/hong-kong-independence-not-feasible-now-says-new-pro
CH: http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1935019/hong-kong-independence-not-feasible-now-says-new-pro

Opinion and Editorial (观点和社论)

Hong Kong must reject the paranoid paradox: Dare to exercise your freedoms and you may lose them
Hong Kong Free Press, April 10, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/04/10/needs-header-kent-ewing-independence/

Is Ten Years the Occupy Central movement of Hong Kong cinema?
《十年》就像香港影坛的“佔中”
South China Morning Post, April 8, 2016
EN: http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1934650/ten-years-occupy-central-movement-hong-kong-cinema
CH: http://www.nanzao.com/sc/opinion/153faab616fc444/shi-nian-jiu-xiang-xiang-gang-ying-tan-di-zhan-zhong-