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, January 10, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Michael Caster on China's forced disappearances
The Diplomat, January 10, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/01/michael-caster-on-chinas-forced-disappearances/

Related:
Written appeal on behalf of Wu Gan
China Change, January 10, 2018
https://chinachange.org/2018/01/10/written-appeal-on-behalf-of-wu-gan/

Chinese men jailed for life after their US$2.4 billion pyramid scheme conned 200,000 people
Reuters, January 10, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2127560/chinese-men-jailed-life-after-their-us24-billion-pyramid-scheme

聚焦宗教团体、院校及场所 国家宗教局拟完善管理制度体系 (State Administration for Religious Affairs to push for new and revised regulations on contents of religious information online, sites for temporary religious activities, religious academies’ establishment and hiring of foreign personnel)
Xinhua News Agency, January 8, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/2018-01/08/c_1122228390.htm

Access to Information (信息公开)

China tightens rules for foreign-flavored shows
China Film Insider, January 9, 2018
http://chinafilminsider.com/china-tightens-rules-foreign-flavored-shows/

China’s strategy to psych put the West is paying off
The Wall Street Journal, January 9, 2018
https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-strategy-to-psych-out-the-west-is-paying-off-1515493983

国家新闻出版广电总局通知要求, 节目受警告须立即退出黄金时段 (State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television issues notice to prevent programs with “problematic political or value orientations” from airing even in repackaged forms online)
Beijing Youth Daily, January 9, 2018
http://epaper.ynet.com/html/2018-01/09/content_275451.htm

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

吉林抚松县数千人游行示威 抗议当局搬迁中学 (Thousands in Jilin march and protest against relocation of local high school)
Radio Free Asia, January 9, 2018
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf1-01092018104552.html

吉林省民代幼教师近千人冒雪在信访局上访维权 (Nearly 1,000 teachers in Jilin petition for job security, social insurance contributions, and medical care)
Weiquanwang, January 9, 2018
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2018/01/blog-post_72.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

广东一教师收学生家长88元红包被诫勉处理 教育局:收取金额虽小,性质相同 (Teacher in Guangdong disciplined by education authority for accepting “red envelope” of 88.88 yuan from parent)
The Beijing News, January 10, 2018
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/news/2018/01/10/471915.html

Chinese general under investigation, joining a line of fallen commanders
官方证实前中央军委委员房峰辉落马
The New York Times, January 9, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/09/world/asia/china-general-corruption.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20180110/china-general-corruption/

內地374個窮縣 貪走扶貧金逾70億 (374 poverty-stricken counties embezzle more than 7 billion yuan of aid over 2 years)
Mingpao, January 9, 2018
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20180109/s00004/1515489603095

Suicide at Chinese iPhone factory reignites concern over working conditions
The Telegraph, January 7, 2018
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/01/07/suicide-chinese-iphone-factory-reignites-concern-working-conditions/

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

国家网信办约谈支付宝 要求“全面排查 专项整顿” (Cyberspace Administration of China talks to Alipay demanding thorough investigation and specific correction after user information leak)
The Beijing News, January 10, 2018
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/news/2018/01/10/471893.html

Apple: Chinese firm to operate China iCloud accounts
British Broadcasting Company, January 10, 2018
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-42631386

Related:
內地iCloud服務 2月底起轉由內地公司營運 (iCloud service inside China to be run by mainland company starting from end of February)
Mingpao, January 10, 2018
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20180110/s00002/1515548132401

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

China to fund construction of counter-terrorism base in northern Afghanistan
The Hindu, January 10, 2018
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/china-to-fund-construction-of-counter-terrorism-base-in-northern-afghanistan/article22410087.ece

IS战场溃败 大批圣战分子威胁回流新疆 (Large number of jihadists threaten to go back to Xinjiang after being defeated fighting for IS)
Radio France Internationale, January 9, 2018
http://bit.ly/2qK3vBu

Hong Kong (香港)

Charges against Occupy leaders unconstitutional, “beyond criminal law”, lawyer argues
South China Morning Post, January 10, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2127617/charges-against-occupy-leaders-unconstitutional-beyond

Hong Kong justice chief should give up prosecuting power, top lawyer says
South China Morning Post, January 10, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2127533/hong-kong-justice-chief-should-give-prosecuting-power-top

Pro-democracy camp’s petition on joint checkpoint arrangement fails after legislature rule change
Hong Kong Free Press, January 10, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/10/pro-democracy-camps-petition-joint-checkpoint-arrangement-fails-legislature-rule-change/

Former lawmaker Edward Yiu slams pro-Beijing politician’s “misleading” claim that he cannot run for office
Hong Kong Free Press, January 10, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/10/former-lawmaker-edward-yiu-slams-pro-beijing-politicians-misleading-claim-cannot-run-office/

Hong Kong activist temporarily detained at Taiwan airport en route to labor protests
Hong Kong Free Press, January 10, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/10/hong-kong-activist-temporarily-detained-taiwan-airport-enroute-labour-protests/

Commentary (评论)

何其荒謬的「刑不上公安」 (How ridiculous is police being exempt from criminal liability)
Inmediahk, January 10, 2018
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1054427

Housing plan for part of Hong Kong Golf Club would showcase Carrie Lam’s commitment to the people
South China Morning Post, January 10, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2127616/housing-plan-part-hong-kong-golf-club-would-showcase-carrie

Hong Kong government must scrap the small-house policy
South China Morning Post, January 10, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2127552/hong-kong-government-must-scrap-small-house-policy

China’s fingerprints are everywhere
The Washington Post, January 9, 2018
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/chinas-fingerprints-are-everywhere/2018/01/09/9410f060-f580-11e7-b34a-b85626af34ef_story.html