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, August 28, 2017

Access to Justice (司法公正)

云南网民“诋毁国家领导人”被行拘 “知乎”成立党支部 (Netizen in Yunnan detained for commenting on state leaders on WeChat; Online community Zhihu sets up Party branch)
Radio Free Asia, August 27, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/xl1-08272017105801.html

被加罪刘飞跃拒认罪 律师将提交不起诉意见书 (Liu Feiyue, founder of msguancha.com, refuses to confess and denies charges; Lawyer will submit non-prosecution opinion to prosecutor)
Radio Free Asia, August 27, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/xl2-08272017123524.html

Founder of Chinese rights watch website may face life sentence if convicted of additional charge—Amnesty
Hong Kong Free Press, August 28, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/08/28/founder-chinese-rights-watch-website-may-face-life-sentence-convicted-additional-charge-amnesty/

Chinese rights lawyer to appeal against 20-year prison sentence
Financial Times, August 27, 2017
https://www.ft.com/content/03790572-8aed-11e7-a352-e46f43c5825d?segmentid=acee4131-99c2-09d3-a635-873e61754ec6

Detained Chinese rights activist calls for information on “disappeared” wife
Radio Free Asia, August 25, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/qinyongmin-wife-08252017132526.html

Person of the week: Gao Zhisheng
China Digital Times, August 25, 2017
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2017/08/person-week-gao-zhisheng/

Access to Information (信息公开)

中国加强审查视听娱乐严控网络 禁用VPN翻墙 (China bans TV series with strong entertainment elements and of sensitive subjects during prime time, while the ban on VPNs and the demand of real name identification of comment posters continue)
Voice of America, August 27, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/beijing-tightens-up-censorship-control-20170827/4002471.html

禁港媒入境 澳門保安司長:非針對職業,如何威脅安全要保密 (Hong Kong journalists denied access into Macau; Macau head of security: Not targeting people with specific professions, how they endanger social security is confidential)
Stand News, August 27, 2017
https://www.thestandnews.com/澳門/禁港媒入境-澳門保安司長-依法拒影響社會治安人士-非針對任何職業/

Cambridge university press censorship storm continues, despite reversal
China Digital Times, August 25, 2017
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2017/08/cambridge-university-press-censorship-storm-continues-despite-reversal/

China bans major crimes, disasters, mass protests ahead of Party Congress
Radio Free Asia, August 25, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/congress-bans-08252017140457.html

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Provocative forever: Ai Weiwei turns 60
Deutsche Welle, August 28, 2017
http://www.dw.com/en/provocative-forever-ai-weiwei-turns-60/a-40201567

Government Accountability (政府问责)

中央纪委驻财政部纪检组组长莫建成接受组织审查 (Senior Central Commission for Discipline Inspection official Mo Jiancheng put under Party investigation)
People.com.cn, August 28, 2017
http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2017/0828/c1001-29497964.html

Germany says Chinese rights activist won't get fair hearing
Reuters, August 25, 2017
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-rights-germany-idUSKCN1B517

In Tibetan Buddhist heartland, Communist Party takeover threatens religious academy’s soul
South China Morning Post, August 25, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2108308/tibetan-buddhist-heartland-communist-party-takeover-threatens

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

The great U.S.-China biotechnology and artificial intelligence race
The Diplomat, August 23, 2017
http://thediplomat.com/2017/08/the-great-us-china-biotechnology-and-artificial-intelligence-race/

Chinese users posting comments online must register real names
South China Morning Post, August 25, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2108356/china-targets-illegal-information-online-comments

Related:
国家互联网信息办公室公布《互联网跟帖评论服务管理规定》(Cyberspace Administration of China issues Management Rules of Internet Following Post and Commenting Service)
Cyberspace Administration of China, August 25, 2017
http://www.cac.gov.cn/2017-08/25/c_1121541481.htm

国家互联网信息办公室有关负责人就《互联网跟帖评论服务管理规定》答记者问 (Spokesman of Cyberspace Administration of China responds to journalists’ questions on Management Rules of Internet Following Post and Commenting Service)
Cyberspace Administration of China, August 25, 2017
http://www.cac.gov.cn/2017-08/25/c_1121541844.htm

国家互联网信息办公室公布《互联网论坛社区服务管理规定》(Cyberspace Administration of China issues Management Rules of Internet Forum and Community Service)
Cyberspace Administration of China, August 25, 2017
http://www.cac.gov.cn/2017-08/25/c_1121541536.htm

Related:
国家互联网信息办公室有关负责人就《互联网论坛社区服务管理规定》答记者问 (Spokesman of Cyberspace Administration of China responds to journalists’ questions on Management Rules of Internet Forum and Community Service)
Cyberspace Administration of China, August 25, 2017
http://www.cac.gov.cn/2017-08/25/c_1121541845.htm

China is trying to give the Internet a death blow
Foreign Policy, August 25, 2017
http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/08/25/china-is-trying-to-give-the-internet-a-death-blow-vpn-technology/

Hong Kong (香港)

Judiciary in the dock: jailing of student activists opens door to debate
South China Morning Post, August 25, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2108186/judiciary-dock-jailing-student-activists-opens-door-debate

Related:
Imprisoned but not forgotten: New group seeks to support Hong Kong’s jailed democracy activists
Hong Kong Free Press, August 27, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/08/27/jailed-not-forgotten-new-group-seeks-support-hong-kongs-jailed-democracy-activists/

Stand on the side of justice: Condemn the HK government's political persecution against young democracy fighters
White House Petitions, August 25, 2017
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/stand-side-justice-condemn-hk-governments-political-persecution-against-young-democracy-fighters

我再說:「香港沉淪了」!(Joseph Zen, sixth Bishop of Hong Kong: Hong Kong has fallen!)
Personal blog, August 25, 2017
http://oldyosef.hkdavc.com/?p=853

18歲李倩怡被控暴動潛台 網傳錄音:不信香港有法治 獲台灣獨派協助 (18-year-old charged of rioting in Mong Kok flees to Taiwan, saying she doesn’t believe there is rule of law in Hong Kong and now receives help from Taiwan independence group)
Mingpao, August 27, 2017
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20170827/s00001/1503844053292

China is threatening the rule of law in Hong Kong
The Economist, August 24, 2017
https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21727069-britains-silence-deafening-china-threatening-rule-law-hong-kong

Ousted pro-independence Hong Kong lawmakers to sit out Legco by-elections
South China Morning Post, August 28, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2108576/ousted-pro-independence-hong-kong-lawmakers-sit-out-legco

Commentary (评论)

Why China hurts itself more than others with censorship
South China Morning Post, August 26, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/2108337/why-china-hurts-itself-more-others-censorship

Hong Kong’s first political prisoners? A stormy fortnight for the SAR’s core values
Hong Kong Free Press, August 27, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/08/27/hong-kongs-first-political-prisoners-stormy-fortnight-sars-core-values/

How can Hong Kong’s courts, gov’t, and media be so deaf to the global chorus of criticism?
Hong Kong Free Press, August 28, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/08/28/can-hong-kongs-courts-govt-media-deaf-global-chorus-criticism/

UK minister sees no political factors in Hong Kong’s jailing of democrats? Here are ten…
Hong Kong Free Press, August 26, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/08/26/uk-minister-sees-no-political-factors-hong-kongs-jailing-democrats-ten/