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, August 08, 2017

Access to Justice (司法公正)

陈桂秋公开致信习近平 吴淦案召开庭前会议 (Chen Guiqiu, wife of lawyer Xie Yang, writes open letter to Xi Jinping questioning her husband’s house arrest; Wu Gan meets with lawyer before trial)
Radio Free Asia, August 7, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf1-08072017113354.html

网民吁帮高智晟自由看牙 高智晟揭某“六四领袖”借高家骗捐 (Netizens urge Gao Zhisheng to be freed and receive dental care)
Radio France Internationale, August 7, 2017
http://cn.rfi.fr//中国/20170807-网民吁帮高智晟自由看牙-高智晟揭某六四领袖借高家骗捐

【图集】贵州毕节押解100名犯罪嫌疑人“游街”指认现场 (In pictures: confirmation that 100 criminal suspects were “paraded” through the streets of Bijie, Guizhou)
Jiemian News, August 7, 2017
http://m.jiemian.com/article/1529239.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

Fears mount of a coming crackdown on Virtual Private Networks
Shanghaiist, August 6, 2017
http://shanghaiist.com/2017/08/06/vpn-crackdown.php

UN human rights watchdog sends Apple letter over China VPN demands
ZD Net, August 7, 2017
http://www.zdnet.com/article/un-special-rapporteur-apple-letter-china-vpn-demands/

China to restrict broadcast of entertainment shows during prime time
Global Times, August 7, 2017
http://www.ecns.cn/2017/08-07/268295.shtml

“This time appears different”: China’s web users fear losing tools to bypass censorship
Agence France-Presse, August 6, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/08/06/time-appears-different-chinas-web-users-fear-losing-tools-bypass-censorship/

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

上海60位维权人士集体起诉国家信访局一案被北京市第一中级人民法院既不立案,又不作出不予立案裁 (60 Shanghai activists collectively sue State Bureau for Letters and Calls, case is neither placed on file nor ruled on by Beijing First Intermediate People’s Court)
Weiquanwang, August 7, 2017
http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2017/08/60.html

山东一年内发生约两百起严重医闹事件,当地要求建立黑名单 (Around 200 serious incidents of violence against doctors occur each year in Shandong, locals request creation of blacklist)
The Paper, August 7, 2017
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1754347

如何避免公共决策“拍脑袋”“一言堂”?——聚焦《重大行政决策程序暂行条例(征求意见稿)》(How to prevent public decisions made through “head patting” and “one decision-maker”? –Focus on “Provisional Regulations on Major Administrative Decision Procedures (Draft for Soliciting Opinions)”)
Legal Daily, August 7, 2017
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2017-08/07/content_7273724.htm?node=5955

Related:
重大行政决策程序暂行条例(征求意见稿)(“Provisional Regulations on Major Administrative Decision Procedures (Draft for Soliciting Opinions)”)
China Legislative Affairs Office, August 7, 2017
http://zqyj.chinalaw.gov.cn/readmore?id=1886&listtype=1

施教拉萨盲校近廿年 盲人“白求恩”被中国驱逐 (German educator expelled after running school for blind children in Tibet for twenty years)
Deutsche Welle, August 4, 2017
http://www.dw.com//zh/施教拉萨盲校近廿年-盲人白求恩被中国驱逐/a-39967110

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China's top procuratorate finishes national inspections on judicial misconduct
China Daily, August 7, 2017
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2017-08/07/content_30362999.htm

China to launch new round of environmental inspections
Xinhua, August 7, 2017
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-08/07/c_136505992.htm

天津两天出动逾3000警力发现传销窝点420处 (3,000 Tianjin policemen bust 420 pyramid schemes in two days)
China News, August 7, 2017
http://www.chinanews.com/sh/2017/08-07/8297886.shtml

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

留学埃及 新疆哈萨克族学生返家后失联 (Students from Xinjiang disappear after returning home from Egypt)
Radio Free Asia, August 7, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shaoshuminzu/ql2-08072017105755.html

Hong Kong (香港)

建制成立關注聯盟 盲撐一地兩檢 政商二代牽頭 與泛民打民意戰 (Pro-establishment groups in Hong Kong form alliance over “one place, two checks” controversy)
Apple Daily, August 8, 2017
http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/news/art/20170808/20114763

3人罪成 兩人囚3年 一人判入教導所 (Three men found guilty over Mong Kok riot case)
Mingpao, August 7, 2017
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20170807/s00001/1502094197295

林鄭月娥稱一地兩檢方案無懼覆核 王光亞:不需要釋法 (Carrie Lam: “one place, two check” plan is up for the challenge of judicial review; Wang Guangya: the plan brings benefits to Hong Kong and NPC does not need to interpret the Basic Law)
Radio Television Hong Kong, August 7, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1346871-20170807.htm

Related:
Hong Kong leader confident that public will come around and welcome joint checkpoint
South China Morning Post, August 7, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2105796/hong-kong-leader-confident-public-will-come-around-and

Hong Kong leader reminded of need to strengthen national education of young
South China Morning Post, August 7, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2105834/hong-kong-leader-reminded-need-strengthen-national-education

Mong Kok unrest: Two sentenced to 3 years in prison for rioting
Hong Kong Free Press, August 7, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/08/07/mong-kok-unrest-two-sentenced-3-years-prison-rioting/

Related:
香港法院判处两名参与旺角暴乱的男子监禁3年 (Hong Kong court sentences Mong Kok riot participants to 3 years in prison)
Xinhua, August 7, 2017
http://news.xinhuanet.com/gangao/2017-08/07/c_1121445535.htm

Hong Kong graft-buster calls for more power to probe misconduct at highest levels
South China Morning Post, August 7, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2105640/hong-kong-graft-buster-calls-more-power-probe-misconduct

Commentary (评论)

When is a border not a border? In Hong Kong
The Lowy Institute, August 7, 2017
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/when-border-not-border-hong-kong