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, December 11, 2017

Access to Justice (司法公正)

維權律師:面臨前所未有壓力 (Rights lawyer Mo Shaoping says lawyers now face unprecedented pressure)
Mingpao, December 11, 2017
https://news.mingpao.com/pns/dailynews/web_tc/article/20171211/s00013/1512929019688

刘霞致信诺奖文学得主赫塔米勒称“我要疯了我那么孤单” (Liu Xia writes to Nobel Laureate Herta Müller saying “I am going crazy, I am so lonely”)
Radio France Internationale, December 10, 2017
http://bit.ly/2AslFfr

律师会见在押犯新规印发:会见被侦查起诉在押罪犯时不被监听 (New regulations allows detainees to meet with lawyers without being listened to)
The Paper, December 10, 2017
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1899492

Access to Information (信息公开)

German spy agency warns of Chinese LinkedIn espionage
British Broadcasting Company, December 11, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-42304297

In your face: China’s all-seeing state
British Broadcasting Company, December 10, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-china-42248056/in-your-face-china-s-all-seeing-state

Related:
China must accelerate implementation of big data strategy: Xi
Xinhua News Agency, December 9, 2017
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201712/09/WS5a2bba55a310eefe3e9a12ea.html

The fall of Chinese internet Czar Lu Wei
Global Voices, December 10, 2017
https://globalvoices.org/2017/12/10/the-fall-of-chinese-internet-czar-lu-wei/

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

世界人权日 北京遭驱逐外地人要人权 (Hundreds protest against forced eviction in Beijing, demanding human rights on Human Rights Day)
Voice of America, December 10, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/4157363.html

《刘晓波纪念文集》纽约发布 (Collected writings in commemoration of Liu Xiaobo launched in New York)
Voice of America, December 10, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/liu-xiaobo-collected-writings-nyc-20171209/4157190.html

北京画家华涌“只因干了记者应该干而不敢干的活”而匆匆逃亡在祖国的大地上 (Beijing-based artist Hua Chong wanted by police for live-streaming forced eviction in city outskirts)
Weiquanwang, December 9, 2017
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2017/12/blog-post_56.html

南街能成为法外之地吗?——35位大学生的起诉状 (35 university students sue Henan food factory for labor law violations)
Weiquanwang, December 8, 2017
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2017/12/35.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China’s rapidly greying population leaves provincial pension pots seriously short of cash
South China Morning Post, December 11, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2123703/chinas-rapidly-greying-population-leaves-provincial

China starts formal legal proceedings against disgraced senior politician
Reuters, December 11, 2017
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-corruption/china-starts-formal-legal-proceedings-against-disgraced-senior-politician-idUSKBN1E5095?

Related:
涉受賄罪 最高檢對前重慶市委書記孫政才立案偵查 (Supreme People's Procuratorate launches anti-graft probe against former Chongqing party secretary Sun Zhengcai)
HK01, December 11, 2017
http://bit.ly/2jN05rt

辽宁:5年收回事业编制15万名 (Liaoning cuts 150,000 government jobs during past 5 years)
People.com.cn, December 11, 2017
http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2017/1211/c1001-29699411.html

Chinese official suspended for forcing man to apologise after he told anti-poverty inspectors he was not getting his benefits
South China Morning Post, December 10, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2123670/chinese-official-suspended-forcing-man-apologise-after-he-told

江蘇連雲港化工廠爆炸4死6人失蹤 負責人被控制 (Company head detained by police after chemical factory explosion that kills at least 4 in Jiangsu)
Radio Television Hong Kong, December 10, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1369341-20171210.htm

中國幼兒園頻傳虐童 聯國專家心碎 (UN experts heartbroken by news of child abuse at Chinese kindergartens)
United Daily News, December 9, 2017
https://udn.com/news/story/7332/2865784?from=udn-ch1_breaknews-1-cate4-news

EU “Deeply Troubled” by China’s human rights record
Agence France-Presse, December 8, 2017
https://www.rappler.com/world/regions/asia-pacific/190828-eu-troubled-china-human-rights

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

Beijing extends powers of state security agents under counter-espionage law
South China Morning Post, December 7, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2123210/beijing-extends-powers-state-security-agents-under

Hong Kong (香港)

14個香港民間團體致聯合國人權事務高級專員公開信 (14 Hong Kong civil society groups write open letter to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights)
Inmediahk, December 11, 2017
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1053832

Hong Kong court upholds SFC action, paving the way for cross-border securities investigations
South China Morning Post, December 10, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2123692/hong-kong-court-upholds-sfc-action-paving-way-cross-border

Arrest warrant issued after activist fails to appear in court over rioting charges
Hong Kong Free Press, December 9, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/12/09/arrest-warrant-issued-activist-fails-appear-court-rioting-charges/

Related:
香港本土派悍将黄台仰违反保释条件被法院通缉 (Hong Kong court issues arrest warrant after localism activist Ray Wong violates bail conditions)
Radio France Internationale, December 10, 2017
http://bit.ly/2AsmrsR

建制派設街站反對拉布 民主派明晚立會外通宵紮營 (Pro-establishment sets street booths slamming filibusters, as pro-democracy camp plans to protest overnight outside LegCo against rules changes)
Radio Television Hong Kong, December 10, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1369330-20171210.htm

Related:
立會示威區加裝1米高鋼板 (1-meter-high steel barriers set up outside LegCo building)
Mingpao, December 11, 2017
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20171211/s00001/1512974057729

Arbitration legal eagle Teresa Cheng tipped to be Hong Kong’s next justice secretary
South China Morning Post, December 10, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2123698/legal-heavyweight-teresa-cheng-tipped-be-hong-kongs-next

“We just want to win money”: Should Hongkongers stand for the national anthem at horse races?
South China Morning Post, December 10, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2123695/we-just-want-win-money-should-hongkongers-stand-national

Commentary (评论)

A more open Internet is in China’s interest
South China Morning Post, December 11, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2123738/more-open-internet-chinas-interest