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.

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Special Feature: Liu Xiaobo (特辑:刘晓波)

We hope our expanded special feature on Liu Xiaobo—including news items, analyses of the significance of his life and work, international support for Liu Xia and calls for accountability, and commentaries—will be a useful information resource and help generate more effective action by the international community. Liu Xiaobo was a prominent Chinese public intellectual and 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, recognized for “his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental rights in China.” He died of liver cancer on July 13, 2017 in Chinese custody.

News (新闻) Assessments: Liu Xiaobo’s Life & Work (评价:刘晓波的审评和著作)

Liu Xiaobo memorial service: After tribute, six including lawyers, activists detained; two go missing
First Post, July 25, 2017
http://www.firstpost.com/world/liu-xiaobo-memorial-service-after-tribute-six-including-lawyers-activists-detained-two-go-missing-3855261.html

International Support for Liu Xia (国际社会给刘霞的声援)

民主黨林子健收「遲來的」美斯簽名照 盼轉交劉霞表心意 (Autographed photo from Messi to Liu Xiaobo received by Hong Kong democratic party member)
Mingpao, July 26, 2017
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20170725/s00001/1500990733163

鲁比奥参议员致刘晓波遗孀刘霞的公开信 (Sen. Rubio’s open letter to Liu Xia, Liu Xiaobo’s widow)
Voice of America, July 25, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/rubio-liu-20170725/3958902.html

Related:
Liu Xiaobo’s Death is a Stain on the CPC, International Community Must Press for Liu Xia’s Freedom
刘晓波之死是中共污点,国际社会必须施压让刘霞获得自由
Human Rights in China, July 13, 2017
EN: http://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/statement/liu-xiaobos-death-stain-cpc-international-community-must-press-liu-xias-freedom
CH: http://www.hrichina.org/chs/xin-wen-gong-zuo/sheng-ming/liu-xiao-bo-zhi-si-shi-zhong-gong-wu-dian-guo-ji-she-hui-bi-xu-shi-ya
Commentary (评论)

What Liu Xiaobo’s death says about China’s two futures
Gina Anne Tam and Jeffrey Wasserstrom, The Nation, July 25, 2017
https://www.thenation.com/article/what-liu-xiaobos-death-says-about-chinas-two-futures/

Liu Xiaobo: A moderate, constructive, brilliant intellectual robbed of his rights and dignity to the very end
Hong Kong Free Press, July 14, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/07/14/liu-xiaobo-moderate-constructive-brilliant-intellectual-robbed-rights-dignity-end/

 
 
 
 

News (新闻)

Access to Justice (司法公正)

最高法:确保刑案裁判结果最大限度接近社会预期 (Supreme People’s Court: to maximum extent possible, ensure that results of criminal cases are aligned with social expectations)
Legal Daily, July 25, 2017
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2017-07/25/content_7256266.htm

余文生律师对因“支持香港占中”被抓捕遭酷刑之刑事自诉一案向北京市高级法院提起再审申请 (Rights lawyer Yu Wensheng sues police for torture at Beijing high court)
Weiquanwang, July 26, 2017
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2017/07/blog-post_72.html

Related:
709李文足:拒绝官派律师的再次声明 (Li Wenzu: statement on the rejection of state-assigned lawyer for Wang Quanzhang)
Weiquanwang, July 25, 2017
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2017/07/709_25.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

工信部再次回应中国VPN管理:依法依规企业和个人不受影响 (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology once again responds to VPN regulation issues: law-abiding businesses and individuals will be unaffected)
China Huan Qiu, July 25, 2017
http://china.huanqiu.com/article/2017-07/11031809.html

Related:
China defends VPN management measures
Xinhua, July 25, 2017
http://english.sina.com/news/2017-07-25/detail-ifyihmmm8643383.shtml

《电子政务蓝皮书》发布:政务服务信息实现全面公开 (“Blue Book of Electronic Government” published: information on government services has achieved comprehensive transparency)
Beijing Evening News, July 24, 2017
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2017/07-24/8286092.shtml

Related:
电子政务蓝皮书:中国电子政务发展报告 (E-Government Blue Book: report on China’s electronic gov’t development)
Social Sciences Academic Press, July 25, 2017
http://chassc.ssap.com.cn/c/2017-07-25/539765.shtml

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

内蒙古鄂尔多斯羊场代表揭官商勾结 (Herder reps in Inner Mongolia lodge complaints against corruption at local gov’t)
Radio Free Asia, July 25, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shaoshuminzu/ql3-07252017102127.html

国企改制问题凸显 哈市铁路职工持续维权 (Railway workers in Harbin petition at local gov’t for social security related issues)
Radio Free Asia, July 25, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf2-07252017110057.html

“八一”建军节临近 老兵聚会遭稳控 (Veterans in Jiangsu banned of organizing gatherings)
Radio Free Asia, July 25, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf3-07252017111315.html

北京警方:“善心汇”成员聚集行为已涉嫌违法 (Beijing police: gathering of members of Shan Xin Hui is suspected of violating laws)
Xinhua News Agency, July 25, 2017
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2017-07/25/c_129662581.htm

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Cadres in Chongqing told to toe line amid high-level corruption probe
South China Morning Post, July 26, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2104116/cadres-chongqing-told-toe-line-amid-high-level

Dissidents voice fears that China will use Interpol to come after peaceful critics
Radio Free Asia, July 25, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/interpol-fears-07252017133805.html

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China set to launch an “unhackable” Internet communication
British Broadcasting Corporation, July 25, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40565722

Hong Kong (香港)

李柱銘指對法治損害比釋法大:等同整本基本法不存在 (Martin Lee: “One place, two checks” is equal to non-existence of Basic Law)
Mingpao, July 26, 2017
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20170726/s00001/1501041285925

一地兩檢倘涉訴訟 張達明料人大將釋法令方案必然合法 (Eric Cheung expects NPC Standing Committee's interpretation of the Basic Law will make HK gov't proposal legal)
Radio Television Hong Kong, July 26, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1344426-20170726.htm

袁國強稱法律不應成為香港發展限制 須與時並進 (Rimsky Yuen: laws need to keep abreast of time and should not limit the development of Hong Kong)
Radio Television Hong Kong, July 26, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1344397-20170726.htm

Hong Kong rail plan raises fears of mainland China’s influence
廣深港高鐵「一地兩檢」方案引爭議
The New York Times, July 25, 2017
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/25/world/asia/hong-kong-mainland-china-rail-terminal.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20170726/hong-kong-mainland-china-rail-terminal/zh-hant/

Related:
Pro-democracy lawmakers question legal basis of express rail link joint checkpoint arrangement
Hong Kong Free Press, July 26, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/07/26/pro-democracy-lawmakers-question-legal-basis-express-rail-link-joint-checkpoint-arrangement/

Number of registered voters in Hong Kong increases slightly by 26,000
Hong Kong Free Press, July 26, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/07/26/number-registered-voters-hong-kong-increases-slightly-26000/

Fear and self-censorship at the Hong Kong book fair
China Digital Times, July 25, 2017
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2017/07/fear-self-censorship-hong-kong-book-fair/

Anger at plan to let Chinese police patrol in Hong Kong
The Guardian, July 26, 2017
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jul/26/anger-at-plan-to-let-chinese-police-patrol-in-hong-kong