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, August 04, 2016

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Zhou Shifeng: Chinese law firm founder jailed for subversion
中国维权律师抓捕:锋锐律师周世锋判囚七年
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 4, 2016
EN: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-36972206
CH: http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/china/2016/08/160804_china_activist_lawyers

Related:
Mass Crackdown on Chinese Lawyers, Defenders and International Reactions: A Brief Chronology
Human Rights in China, August 3, 2016
http://www.hrichina.org/en/mass-crackdown-chinese-lawyers-defenders-and-international-reactions-brief-chronology

Man held in China “does not know he has baby”
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 3, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36961908

Most prominent cases in China by lawyers now in custody
South China Morning Post, August 3, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1998703/most-prominent-cases-china-lawyers-now-custody

China claims rights lawyers and dissidents are part of vast American conspiracy in 4-minute video
China Change, August 3, 2016
https://chinachange.org/2016/08/03/china-claims-rights-lawyers-and-dissidents-are-part-of-vast-american-conspiracy-in-4-minute-video/

Access to Information (信息公开)

Chinese authorities block reporting from Larung Gar as demolition proceeds
Radio Free Asia, August 3, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/proceeds-08032016134518.html

Purged Chinese political magazine to fight back “all the way”
Radio Free Asia, August 3, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/china-magazine-08032016133115.html

Scrutinizing China’s official statistics: The puzzling case of unemployment data
The Diplomat, August 4, 2016
http://thediplomat.com/2016/08/scrutinizing-chinas-official-statistics-the-puzzling-case-of-unemployment-data/

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Worker unrest spreads to the luxury goods and services sector
China Labor Bulletin, August 3, 2016
http://www.clb.org.hk/content/worker-unrest-spreads-luxury-goods-and-services-sector

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Four staff punished over cover-up at Guangdong nuclear plant after guideline breach
South China Morning Post, August 4, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/1999064/four-staff-punished-breaching-guidelines-nuclear

Former Nanjing Party chief stands trial for bribery
Xinhua News, August 3, 2016
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-08/03/c_135560857.htm

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Internet use in China on the rise
Deutsche Welle, August 3, 2016
http://www.dw.com/en/internet-use-in-china-on-the-rise/a-19445291

Hong Kong (香港)

Undue caution? Joshua Wong blasts Hong Kong officials over hold-ups in Demosisto party registration and mailings
South China Morning Post, August 3, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1999067/undue-caution-joshua-wong-blasts-hong-kong-officials-over

Video: China propaganda video bashing him “laughable,” says Occupy leader Joshua Wong
Hong Kong Free Press, August 3, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/08/03/video-china-propaganda-video-bashing-laughable-says-occupy-leader-joshua-wong/

Hong Kong restricts election candidates, renewing fears of lost rights
The New York Times, August 4, 2016
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/04/world/asia/hong-kong-independence-elections.html

【短片:選舉論壇】人大釋法?超區候選人逐個表態 ([Video: Forum on LegCo election] Should there be an NPC interpretation of the Basic Law? District Council functional constituency candidates express their opinions)
Ming Pao, August 4, 2016
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20160804/s00001/1470274615165

港法律界選委發聲明 反對立會選舉政治審查 (Hong Kong’s Election Committee Legal Subsector issues statement disapproving political censorship in LegCo election procedure)
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 3, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/china/2016/08/160803_hongkong_election_lawyers

陳文敏:我看不到香港法律有賦予選舉主任這權力去決定候選人簽署的聲明是否真確 (Johannes Chan: I cannot see that Hong Kong’s laws endow the power to Electoral Affairs Commission Returning Officer to determine whether candidate’s declaration is truthful)
InMedia HK, August 3, 2016
http://www.inmediahk.net/node/1043810

香港立法会选举7人资格遭取消 被指反加深青年港独情绪 (7 disqualified from Hong Kong’s LegCo election, some think that may intensify young people’s sentiments for Hong Kong independence)
Radio Free Asia, August 3, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/gangtai/yf2-08032016110626.html

Author demands payment from Lee Po after Causeway Bay Books "trashed" 20,000 works
与铜锣湾书店合作作家指李波丢弃其书 要求赔偿
South China Morning Post, August 4, 2016
EN: http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1998846/causeway-bay-books-accused-mass-purge-wake
CH: http://www.nanzao.com/sc/hk-macau-tw/156539d9c1c71e4/tong-luo-wan-shu-dian-huo-ban-zuo-jia-zhi-li-bo-diu-qi-qi-shu-yao-qiu-pei-chang

Opinion and Editorial (观点和社论)

Is China cracking down on dissent?
Al Jazeera, August 4, 2016
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2016/08/china-cracking-dissent-160804050715119.html

Why the Hong Kong independence debate is vital for the city’s democracy
Hong Kong Free Press, August 3, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/08/03/hong-kong-independence-debate-vital-citys-democracy/