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, March 20, 2017

Access to Justice (司法公正)

涉709案不予办护照 吕动力起诉千阳县公安局 (Application for passport rejected due to involvement in “709”, Lu Dongli sues Qianyang Province Public Security Bureau over violation of personal rights)
Radio Free Asia, March 17, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/xl2-03172017103459.html

输入假枪判刑8年 上诉4年赢重审机会 (Feng Xin, who was sentenced to eight-years imprisonment for importing imitation firearms, gets re-trial after appealing for four years)
Radio France Internationale, March 19, 2017
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20170319-输入假枪判刑8年-上诉4年赢重审机会

夏钧律师批评最高法院院长周强向全国人大的报告,指现在的法官就像文革时的军管 (Lawyer Xia Jun criticizes Zhou Qiang’s annual work report, says judges today are like military commissioners during Cultural Revolution)
Radio Free Asia, March 17, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ck-03172017104502.html

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Young farmer stages first Tibetan self-immolation of 2017
Radio Free Asia, March 19, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/sichuan-immolation-03192017095940.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Chinese police officer jailed over bribes spent on property in Australia
The Guardian, March 19, 2017
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/19/chinese-police-officer-jailed-over-bribes-spent-on-property-in-australia

The hunt is on for “crocodiles” in China’s corridors of power
SOuth China Morning Post, March 19, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2080327/hunt-crocodiles-chinas-corridors-power

成都再现“雷洋”案:一司机被警方殴打致死 当局封锁消息 (Another “Lei Yang” case in Chengdu: A driver beaten to death by police officers, authorities block all relevant information)
Radio Free Asia, March 17, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/xl1-03172017104620.html

网络再度盛传六四屠杀中国政府发言人袁木移民美国生活悠闲自在 (Photos of Yuan Mu, Chinese gov’t spokesperson during June Fourth, living a wealthy life in U.S. circulated on Internet again)
Radio France Internationale, March 19, 2017
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20170319-网络再度盛传六四屠杀中国政府发言人袁木移民美国生活悠闲自在

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Technology: China reboots its superpower ambitions
Financial Times, March 19, 2017
https://www.ft.com/content/1d815944-f1da-11e6-8758-6876151821a6

China’s quest for cybersecurity causes headache for foreign companies
The Diplomat, March 18, 2017
http://thediplomat.com/2017/03/chinas-quest-for-cybersecurity-causes-headache-for-foreign-companies/

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

What do Islamic State and Tibet have to do with China’s crackdown in Xinjiang?
South China Morning Post, March 18, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2079542/what-do-islamic-state-and-tibet-have-do-chinas-crackdown

China mulls terror response after Islamic State threat
Voice of America, March 18, 2017
http://www.voanews.com/a/china-mulls-response-to-islamic-state-threat/3771645.html

Hong Kong (香港)

As it happened: Hong Kong leadership candidates take part in final debate of election campaign
South China Morning Post, March 19, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2080276/live-hong-kong-leadership-candidates-take-part-final-debate

Related:
林鄭與曾俊華沒承諾是否支持平反六四 胡:不重推國教 (Carrie Lam and John Tsang do not indicate whether they support June Fourth redress, Woo Kwok Hing says he would not re-launch national education)
Radio Television Hong Kong, March 19, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1320098-20170319.htm

3名特首候選人皆稱會協助內地失去自由港人 (All three CE candidates say they would assist Hong Kong people who lose freedom in the mainland)
Radio Television Hong Kong, March 19, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1320094-20170319.htm

北京为香港新特首民望费思量 (Beijing makes effort to boost popularity of new Hong Kong CE)
Radio France Internationale, March 19, 2017
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20170319-北京为香港新特首民望费思量

《法治藍皮書》指去年釋法維護憲法及基本法權威 (“Blue Book of Rule of Law” indicates NPC’s 2016 interpretation protects authority of the constitution and the Basic Law)
Radio Television Hong Kong, March 20, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1320174-20170320.htm

Low turnout in unofficial referendum reflects Hongkongers’ sense of powerlessness, organizer Benny Tai says
Hong Kong Free Press, March 20, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/03/20/low-turnout-unofficial-referendum-reflects-hongkongers-sense-powerlessness-organiser-benny-tai-says/

Video protest planned against Hong Kong’s chief executive election
South China Morning Post, March 19, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2080299/video-protest-planned-against-hong-kongs-small-circle-chief

Commentary (评论)

这样的民法总则该不该点个赞? (Should we support the new Civil Code?)
Deutsche Welle, March 17, 2017
http://www.dw.com/zh/这样的民法总则该不该点个赞/a-37988363

Related:
民法总则将进一步提高国家治理能力的现代化 (The new Civil Code will further modernize the state’s governance ability)
Legal Daily, March 16, 2017
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/commentary/content/2017-03/16/content_7056120.htm

Has Xi Jinping gotten his crown?
China Media Project, March 19, 2017
http://cmp.hku.hk/2017/03/19/xi-jinping-gotten-crown/

Folding meanings
1843 Magazine, April/May 2017
https://www.1843magazine.com/culture/folding-meanings