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.

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Access to Information (信息公开)

China statistics chief joins calls for crackdown on bogus economic data
South China Morning Post, February 13, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/economy/article/2070405/china-statistics-chief-joins-calls-crackdown-bogus-economic-data

Government Accountability (政府问责)

“We had to sue”: the five lawyers taking on China's authorities over smog
The Guardian, February 13, 2017
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/feb/13/chinese-lawyers-suing-government-air-pollution

China's Xi says officials should prevent abuse of power
Reuters, February 13, 2017
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-politics-corruption-idUSKBN15T02X

Hong Kong (香港)

香港“占中”七警殴打案 全部被告罪成 (All 7 police officers convicted for assault in “Occupy Central”)
British Broadcasting Corporation, February 14, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-38965285

Related:
In Pictures: Protesters face off outside courthouse as police officers convicted of assaulting Occupy activist Ken Tsang
Hong Kong Free Press, February 14, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/02/14/pictures-protesters-face-off-outside-courthouse-police-officers-convicted-assaulting-occupy-activist-ken-tsang/

民建聯和經民聯決定提名林鄭月娥參選行政長官 (Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong and Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong decide to nominate Carrie Lam)
Radio Television Hong Kong, February 14, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1313350-20170213.htm

Related:
郭榮鏗:「民主300+」未決定提名 周六會議後決定 (Dennis Kwok: “Democrats 300+” has not decided who to nominate, decision will come after meeting on Saturday)
Radio Television Hong Kong, February 14, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1313462-20170214.htm

Hong Kong's pan-democrats grapple with endorsing the “lesser evil” for Chief Executive
Global Voices, February 14, 2017
https://globalvoices.org/2017/02/14/hong-kongs-pan-democrats-grapple-with-endorsing-the-lesser-evil-for-chief-executive/

梁振英指無跡象8.31會修改 不能隨便排除中央權力 (C.Y. Leung: No sign that “8.31 Decision” will be amended, can’t deny authority of Central gov’t)
Radio Television Hong Kong, February 14, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1313457-20170214.htm

港前律政司长梁爱诗:中联办拉票不属干预香港事务 (Former Hong Kong Secretary for Justice Elsie Leung: China Liaison Office campaigning for votes does not equate to intervening in Hong Kong affairs)
Radio Free Asia, February 13, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/gangtai/wsw-02132017121109.html

宣誓案梁頌恆游蕙禎向終院申請上訴許可 (Baggio Leung and Yau Wai-ching apply for leave to appeal to Court of Final Appeal regarding oath-taking case)
Radio Television Hong Kong, February 13, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1313340-20170213.htm

China probes former media head linked to missing tycoon Xiao Jianhua: report
Hong Kong Free Press, February 14, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/02/14/china-probes-former-media-head-linked-missing-tycoon-xiao-jianhua-report/

Related:
回應肖建華事件 梁振英:沒有人應在這事上揣測 (In response to Xiao Jianhua’s disappearance, C.Y. Leung: No one should speculate about the incident)
Radio Television Hong Kong, February 14, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1313432-20170214.htm