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 25, 2016

Focus Topic: Extreme Poverty and Human Rights (专题:赤贫和人权)

China gives not so warm welcome to UN envoy
Voice of America, August 24, 2016
http://www.voanews.com/a/china-gives-not-so-warm-welcome-to-un-envoy/3478643.html

China denies restricting activities of UN rights envoy
Reuters, August 24, 2016
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/china-denies-restricting/3070042.html

End-of-mission statement on China, by Professor Philip Alston, United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
联合国赤贫和人权问题特别报告员菲利普•奥尔斯顿结束对中国访问的声明
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, August 23, 2016
EN: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20402&LangID=E
CH: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20402&LangID=C

Related:
China: “Poverty alleviation needs to be accompanied by accountability” –UN expert on extreme poverty and human rights
中国:“减缓贫穷需伴随问责”——联合国赤贫和人权问题专家
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, August 23, 2016
EN: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20404&LangID=E
CH: http://www.ohchr.org/CH/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20404&LangID=C

UN Expert: Chinese Government Needs “Genuine Accountability”
联合国专家:中国政府需要“真正的问责”
Human Rights in China, August 23, 2016
EN: http://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/hric-bulletin/un-expert-chinese-government-needs-genuine-accountability
CH: http://www.hrichina.org/chs/xin-wen-gong-zuo/zhong-guo-ren-quan-jian-xun/lian-he-guo-zhuan-jia-zhong-guo-zheng-fu-xu-yao-zhen

现在就医,药品价格明显低了 (Doctors’ visits nowadays clearly show lower costs of medicine)
Procuratorate Daily, August 23, 2016
http://newspaper.jcrb.com/2016/20160823/20160823_002/20160823_002_7.htm

河北:上半年城乡低保支出资金超26亿 (Hebei: Urban and rural welfare subsidies for first half of year topped 2.6 billion yuan)
Xinhua, August 23, 2016
http://news.ifeng.com/a/20160823/49822037_0.shtml

陕西:住新房开轿车的人享低保 贫困户申请却不批 (Shaanxi: People in new homes driving limos are enjoying welfare subsidies while destitute families are denied them)
Phoenix News, August 23, 2016
http://news.ifeng.com/a/20160823/49822037_0.shtml

“生理假”会增加女性就业难度? (Will “Menstrual Leave” make it harder for women to get jobs?)
Procuratorate Daily, August 24, 2016
http://newspaper.jcrb.com/2016/20160824/20160824_006/20160824_006_2.htm

Access to Justice (司法公正)

住建部办法难以全面破解城管执法难题, 专家称执法资源配置规定不符改革方向 (Ministry of Housing measures unable to completely resolve problems of law enforcement by Chengguan, experts say regulations for law enforcement resources allocation do not match reform direction)
Legal Daily, August 22, 2016
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index/content/2016-08/22/content_6772470.htm

Related:
Public consulted on rules for urban para-police
Sixth Tone, August 24, 2016
http://www.sixthtone.com/news/government-asks-chinese-what-should-be-done-about-‘chengguan’

打击虚假诉讼关键要形成合力 (The key to combatting sham suits is working together)
Legal Daily, August 24, 2016
http://newspaper.jcrb.com/2016/20160824/20160824_006/20160824_006_4.htm

有诉求纠纷找调解中心, 平顶山推广“舞钢经验”构筑维稳“第一道防线” (To build stability maintenance's “first line of defense,” Pingdingshan in Henan promotes the "Wugang [City] Experience" of using mediation centers to resolve disputed lawsuits)
Legal Daily, August 24, 2016
http://epaper.legaldaily.com.cn/fzrb/content/20160824/Articel01002GN.htm

Sister of Chinese political prisoner Guo Feixiong denied prison hospital visit
Radio Free Asia, August 24, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/china-guofeixiong-08242016140629.html

Related:
New HRIC Translation: Essay by Lawyer Gao Zhisheng on Imprisoned Rights Activist Guo Feixiong
Human Rights in China, August 9, 2016
http://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/hric-bulletin/new-hric-translation-essay-lawyer-gao-zhisheng-imprisoned-rights-activist

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Chinese volleyball coach Lang Ping has spent her career thinking outside the Communist Party box
Global Voices, August 24, 2016
https://globalvoices.org/2016/08/24/chinese-volleyball-coach-lang-ping-has-spent-her-career-thinking-outside-the-communist-party-box/

Dissident artist Ai Weiwei says work was pulled from Yinchuan Biennale due to “political sensitivity”
Hong Kong Free Press, August 25, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/08/25/dissident-artist-ai-weiwei-says-work-was-pulled-from-yinchuan-biennale-due-to-political-sensitivity/

Government Accountability (政府问责)

环保部发布2016年上半年环境执法情况 (Ministry of Environmental Protection releases environmental law enforcement information for first half of 2016)
China Nonferrous Metals News, August 24, 2016
http://www.cnmn.com.cn/ShowNews1.aspx?id=355440

政府网站不能只看"颜值", "神回复"频出损害公信力 (Government websites cannot just focus on the superficial, frequent “mystery replies” [when the website states a response has been issued to a request even though it has not] harm public trust)
People’s Daily, August 24, 2016
http://media.people.com.cn/n1/2016/0824/c40606-28660046.html

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Rainbow hotline aids China's LGBT community in legal trouble
The Beijinger, August 22, 2016
https://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2016/08/22/rainbow-hotline-aids-lgbt-community-legal-trouble

有人用微信聊天, 有人用微信犯罪 (Some people use WeChat to chat, some use it to commit crimes)
Procuratorate Daily, August 23, 2016
http://newspaper.jcrb.com/2016/20160823/20160823_004/20160823_004_3.htm

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

2016年民航反恐专项演习在重庆机场举行 (2016 aviation counter-terrorism exercises held at Chongqing Airport)
Ministry of Transport of the PRC, August 23, 2016
http://www.moc.gov.cn/jiaotongyaowen/201608/t20160823_2079247.html

上合组织:土耳其将加强与上合地区反恐机构的合作 (Shanghai Cooperation Organization: Turkey to strengthen cooperation with SCO area counter-terrorism institutions)
Kazinform, August 23, 2016
http://inform.kz/chn/article/2940372

静安区反恐防范宣传明信片发放 (Jing’an Prefecture distributes propaganda postcards on counter-terrorism and terrorism prevention)
New Citizen Evening News, August 23, 2016
http://city.eastday.com/gk/20160823/u1a9669150.html

Hong Kong (香港)

Legco elections explained in three minutes: how Hong Kong’s system works
South China Morning Post, August 23, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/video/hong-kong/2007952/legco-elections-explained-three-minutes-how-hong-kongs-system-works

HK independence activists claim harassment from pro-China media
Reuters, August 25, 2016
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-independence-media-idUSKCN11009I

Opinion and Editorial (观点和社论)

Convergent control
China Media Project, August 25, 2016
http://cmp.hku.hk/2016/08/25/39856/

A newer new frontier
ChinaFile, August 24, 2016
http://www.chinafile.com/photo-gallery/newer-new-frontier