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, May 08, 2017

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Chinese court says prominent rights lawyer Xie Yang admits to crimes
Agence-France Presse, May 8, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/05/08/trial-prominent-rights-lawyer-xi-yang-opens-china-following-delay/

Related:
維權律師謝陽被控煽動顛覆國家政權案件開審 (“Inciting subversion of state power” case against rights defense lawyer Xie Yang opens in court today)
Radio Television Hong Kong, May 8, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1329120-20170508.htm

Mass Crackdown on Chinese Lawyers and Defenders
中国大规模镇压维权律师和活跃人士
Human Rights in China, April 27, 2017
EN: http://www.hrichina.org/en/mass-crackdown-chinese-lawyers-and-defenders
CH: http://www.hrichina.org/chs/zhong-guo-da-gui-mo-zhen-ya-wei-quan-lu-shi-he-huo-yue-ren-shi

联合国人权办公室敦促北京释放陈建刚律师 (The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights urges the release of Xie Yang’s former defense lawyer Chen Jiangang)
Radio Free Asia, May 5, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/hc-05052017105316.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

China to further tighten its Internet controls
Reuters, May 7, 2017
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-internet-idUSKBN1830AG

China compiles its own “Wikipedia,” but public can't edit it
Associated Press, May 4, 2017
https://flipboard.com/@flipboard/flip.it%2F3OKONu-china-compiles-its-own-wikipedia-but-pu/f-d003bb35af%2Fapnewsarchive.com

Related:
中国欲推出自己的网络百科全书 (China to release its own encyclopedia)
Voice of America, May 6, 2017
http://www.voachinese.com/a/chinese-wikipedia/3840415.html

Electronic Frontier Foundation Warns on New China Censorship Tool
China Film Insider, May 3, 2017
http://chinafilminsider.com/electronic-frontier-foundation-warns-new-china-censorship-tool/

In China, it’s the Party that keeps the boy band going
The New York Times, May 6, 2017
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/06/world/asia/china-tfboys-boy-band.html

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

On campuses far from China, still under Beijing’s watchful eye
即使留學美國,也逃不脫中國政府監視的眼睛
The New York Times, May 5, 2017
EN: https://cn.nytimes.com/usa/20170505/chinese-students-western-campuses-china-influence/en-us/
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/usa/20170505/chinese-students-western-campuses-china-influence/zh-hant/

Government Accountability (政府问责)

联合国人权官员:访华期间被跟踪 会见对象遭恐吓 (UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights states in his report that he was followed during visit to China and individuals he planned to meet were threatened)
Voice of America, May 6, 2017
http://www.voachinese.com/a/voanews-un-rights-envoy-was-followed-in-china-20170505/3839831.html

Related:
Report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights on his mission to China
赤贫和人权问题特别报告员访问中国的报告
UN Human Rights Council, March 2017
EN: http://www.hrichina.org/sites/default/files/report_sr_extreme_poverty.pdf
CH: http://www.hrichina.org/sites/default/files/report_sr_extreme_poverty_ch.pdf

中国保监会主席项俊波被宣布免职 (Chairman of China Insurance Regulatory Commission removed from office)
Radio France Internationale, May 5, 2017
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20170505-中国保监会主席项俊波被宣布免职

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

英媒:中国羞辱穆斯林的手法千奇百怪 (British media: China’s weird ways to insult Muslims)
British Broadcasting Corporation, May 5, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/press-review-39816955

China's tourism industry ordered to monitor, report on visitors to Xinjiang
新疆加强导游监控及政审 需上报外籍游客言论
Radio Free Asia, May 5, 2017
EN: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/chinas-tourism-industry-ordered-to-monitor-report-on-visitors-to-xinjiang-05052017121134.html
CH: http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shaoshuminzu/xl1-05052017103744.html

Hong Kong (香港)

香港法院审理九名社运人士被控“非法集结”案件 (Hong Kong court handles “illegal assembly” charges against nine activists)
Radio Free Asia, May 5, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/gangtai/cp-05052017104042.html

有消息指林郑希望中央及中联办不要对她的工作“指指点点” (Carrie Lam wants central gov’t and the liaison office to stop “directing” her work , according to sources)
Radio France Internationale, May 7, 2017
http://cn.rfi.fr/港澳台/20170507-有消息指林郑希望中央及中联办不要对她的工作“指指点点”

范太指民主派促撤回8.31是「政治不夠班」 籲社會思考把民主派「由雲端拉下來」(Rita Fan says Democrats are “politically unqualified” to call for repealing 8.31 framework, encourages society to “pull Democrats out of the clouds”)
Mingpao, May 6, 2017
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20170506/s00001/1494037585989

专访:“香港众志”政治低潮中摸索新出路 (Interview: Demosisto to find new path amid political downturn)
Deutsche Welle, May 6, 2017
http://www.dw.com/zh/专访香港众志政治低潮中摸索新出路/a-38735716

Video: Hong Kong activists accuse gov’t of using law to silence dissenting voices
Hong Kong Free Press, May 5, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/05/05/video-hong-kong-activists-accuse-govt-using-law-silence-dissenting-voices/

Commentary (评论)

Beijing’s dilemma: What to do next with an ungrateful Special Administrative Region
Hong Kong Free Press, May 7, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/05/07/beijings-dilemma-next-ungrateful-special-administrative-region/

Beyond 2047: Will Joshua Wong live to see full democracy in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong Free Press, May 8, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/05/08/beyond-2047-will-joshua-wong-live-see-full-democracy-hong-kong/