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.

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Access to Justice (司法公正)

中国维权律师被逮捕 外界质疑蓄意报复 (Rights lawyer Li Yuhan formally arrested for “picking quarrels and provoking troubles”)
Voice of America, November 16, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/chinese-rights-lawyer-arrested-20171116/4117731.html

哈萨克歌星兄长被捕 广播电台编辑被刑拘已半年 (Xinjiang arrests brother of Kazakh star singer and criminally detains radio news editor for 6 months who receives money from Kazakhstan relative)
Radio Free Asia, November 15, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shaoshuminzu/ql2-11152017100809.html

刑满未自由 “广州三君子”之一袁新亭出狱后失联 (Guangzhou-based rights defender Yuan Xinting finishes prison term but remains incommunicado)
Radio Free Asia, November 15, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf2-11152017100915.html

880多万人次上最高法失信“黑名单” (Supreme People’s Court: over 8.8 million people blacklisted for poor credit)
Legal Daily, November 15, 2017
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2017-11/15/content_7387752.htm?node=5954

Access to Information (信息公开)

China “worst abuser of Internet freedom” worldwide: Freedom House report
Radio Free Asia, November 15, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/internet-11152017132045.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

LGBT Chinese describe what it was like being forced into therapy to “cure” their homosexuality
Shanghaiist, November 16, 2017
http://shanghaiist.com/2017/11/16/gay-conversion-therapy-report.php

Related:
人权观察促中国政府禁止同性恋转化治疗 (Human Rights Watch urges Chinese government to stop sexual orientation conversion therapy)
Voice of America, November 15, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/hrw-lgbt-rights-china-20171115/4115768.html

Kindergarten questioned about abuse allegation
China Daily, November 16, 2017
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2017-11/16/content_34593478.htm

Senior China minister says some officials practice sorcery
Reuters, November 16, 2017
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-politics-religion/senior-china-minister-says-some-officials-practice-sorcery-idUSKBN1DG0CG

首批中央环保督察:8省区1140人被问责 (First group of environment supervisors sent by central government holds 1,140 people across 8 provinces to account)
Beijing News, November 16, 2017
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/news/2017/11/16/464475.html

Hong Kong (香港)

“China continues to either disregard or ignore Hong Kong’s rule of law,” says US-China Commission
Hong Kong Free Press, November 16, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/11/16/china-continues-either-disregard-ignore-hong-kongs-rule-law-says-us-china-commission/

李飛:須毫不猶豫抵制並反對港獨 (Top Beijing official Li Fei: must resist and fight against Hong Kong independence without any hesitation)
Radio Television Hong Kong, November 16, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1365151-20171116.htm

Related:
指學生派港獨單張涉違法 梁美芬:學校應處分、市民可報警 (Pro-Beijing lawmaker Priscilla Leung claims students handing out Hong Kong independence flyers could break laws, urging schools to punish offenders and citizens call police)
Mingpao, November 15, 2017
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20171115/s00001/1510722091583

李飛稱特區仍未就23條立法 不良影響有目共睹 (Li Fei claims adverse effects of SAR failing to enact Article 23 speak for themselves)
Radio Television Hong Kong, November 16, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1365156-20171116.htm

Related:
Absence of national security law created “adverse effects” in Hong Kong, top Beijing official Li Fei says
Hong Kong Free Press, November 16, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/11/16/absence-national-security-law-created-adverse-effects-hong-kong-top-beijing-official-li-fei-says/

立法會通過一地兩檢議案 民主派:假民意授權 (LegCo passes co-location arrangement motion and pro-democracy camp calls it “fake mandate”)
Inmediahk, November 15, 2017
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1053334

Related:
Hong Kong legislature gives approval to begin joint border checkpoint talks despite filibusters
Hong Kong Free Press, November 15, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/11/15/just-hong-kong-legislature-gives-approval-begin-joint-border-checkpoint-talks-despite-filibusters/

Hong Kong judicial independence is safe, former judge Henry Litton says
South China Morning Post, November 15, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2120085/hong-kong-judicial-independence-safe-former-judge-henry

Related:
沈德咏会见香港大律师公会代表团一行(Supreme People's Court deputy Shen Deyong meets with delegation of Hong Kong Bar Association)
Supreme People’s Court, November 15, 2017
http://www.court.gov.cn/zixun-xiangqing-68722.html

Commentary (评论)

致李飛──香港人的一場痴夢 (Letter to Li Fei — Hongkongers’ pipe dream)
Apple Daily, November 15, 2017
https://hk.news.appledaily.com/local/realtime/article/20171115/57461834

Hong Kong national anthem law need not look back in anger
South China Morning Post, November 15, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2120102/hong-kong-national-anthem-law-need-not-look-back-anger