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 24, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Activists and wife say Chinese state media video is an attempt to discredit detained lawyer Yu Wensheng
Hong Kong Free Press, January 24, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/24/activists-wife-say-chinese-state-media-video-attempt-discredit-detained-lawyer-yu-wensheng/

Related:
北京警方:一男子暴力袭警致两民警受伤,涉妨害公务罪被刑拘 (Beijing police says rights lawyer Yu Wensheng, now under criminal detention for obstruction, violently assaulted and injured two officers)
The Paper, January 23, 2018
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1963877

Sweden wants answers about its seized citizen. China isn’t giving any.
瑞典政府要求中国通报桂民海消息遭拒绝
The New York Times, January 23, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/23/world/asia/china-sweden-bookseller.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20180124/china-sweden-bookseller/

Related:
EU envoy urges China to “immediately” release Swedish book publisher Gui Minhai
Agence France-Presse, January 24, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/24/eu-envoy-urges-china-immediately-release-swedish-book-publisher-gui-minhai/

Top human rights lawyer stripped of license in China's Guangdong
广东司法厅无预警突袭 维权律师隋牧青遭吊照
Radio Free Asia, January 23, 2018
EN: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/lawyer-license-01232018154542.html
CH: https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/lawyer-01232018083111.html

王全璋失踪928天 家属25次控告碰壁 (Family of Wang Quanzhang file 25 complaints but get no results during 928 days when he is missing)
Radio Free Asia, January 23, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf1-01232018103302.html

湖南:检察官承办的案件被告人被宣告无罪的,将进行个案评查 (To improve prosecutorial conduct, Hunan pilots review of 6 types of cases, including those end in not-guilty verdicts, state compensation payments, widespread online reactions)
Hunan Daily, January 23, 2018
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1964235

Access to Information (信息公开)

Chinese media told to tone down coverage of giant firms’ debt, finance woes
South China Morning Post, January 24, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/economy/article/2130318/chinese-media-told-tone-down-coverage-giant-firms-debt-finance

China’s propagandists wanted a hero. “Frost Boy” fit the bill.
“冰花男孩”:从赤贫儿童到宣传明星、爱国英雄
The New York Times, January 23, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/23/world/asia/china-frost-boy.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20180124/china-frost-boy/

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Leiyang workers return to Shenzhen to demand long overdue compensation
China Labor Bulletin, January 23, 2018
http://www.clb.org.hk/content/leiyang-workers-return-shenzhen-demand-long-overdue-compensation

“Me Too,” Chinese women say. Not so fast, say the censors.
The New York Times, January 23, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/23/world/asia/china-women-me-too-censorship.html

China faces protests after investment scheme collapses
Associated Press, January 23, 2018
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-faces-protests-after-investment-scheme-collapses/2018/01/23/c0aa3e5a-002b-11e8-86b9-8908743c79dd_story.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Beijing's struggle against pollution will be tough, take time - mayor
Reuters, January 24, 2018
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/beijing-s-struggle-against-pollution-will-be-tough--take-time---mayor-9890974

Beijing gets serious about cleaning up inappropriate videos targeting children
China Film insider, January 23, 2018
http://chinafilminsider.com/beijing-gets-serious-about-cleaning-up-inappropriate-videos-targeting-children/

习近平:思想再解放改革再深入工作再抓实 推动全面深化改革在新起点上实现新突破 (In meeting of Leading Group for reforms, Xi Jinping stresses priorities including advancing public interest through OGI, producing scientific research “to raise capacity for innovation in strategic frontiers,” reforming Confucius Institutes to serve “diplomacy with Chinese characteristics”)
Xinhua News Agency, January 23, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2018-01/23/c_1122303539.htm

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

The ideology behind China’s fast-changing military
The Diplomat, January 24, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/01/the-ideology-behind-chinas-fast-changing-military/

Hong Kong (香港)

被質疑大話連篇 鄭若驊:不接受我無誠信 (Questioned for telling lies, Justice chief Teresa Cheng says she doesn’t accept being accused of someone without integrity)
Mingpao, January 24, 2018
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20180124/s00001/1516774453459

Related:
Neighbors “dragged into” illegal structures scandal of Hong Kong justice chief Teresa Cheng
South China Morning Post, January 23, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2130239/neighbours-dragged-illegal-structures-scandal-hong-kong

Baptist University student who protested Mandarin tests cuts mainland internship short following threats
Hong Kong Free Press, January 24, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/24/baptist-university-student-protested-mandarin-tests-cuts-mainland-internship-short-following-threats/

Related:
Explain pro-Beijing university president’s new five-year term, Hong Kong students warn, or face “consequences”
South China Morning Post, January 23, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2130229/explain-pro- beijing-university-presidents-new-five-year

UK’s commitment to Hong Kong’s freedom not interference by the west, says UK minister at Parliament debate
Hong Kong Free Press, January 24, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/24/uks-commitment-hong-kongs-freedom-not-interference-west-says-uk-minister-parliament-debate/

Court approves bail for jailed Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong, but bail denied for Raphael Wong
Hong Kong Free Press January 23, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/23/court-approves-bail-jailed-hong-kong-democracy-activist-joshua-wong-bail-denied-raphael-wong/

Related:
港大民研:對港府信任度急跌逾一成 18至29歲近七成不信北京 (HKU survey finds almost 70% people aged from 18 to 29 in Hong Kong don’t trust Beijing)
Mingpao, January 23, 2018
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20180123/s00001/1516694722475

Veteran Hong Kong officials among new faces to be named to China’s top political advisory body
South China Morning Post, January 23, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2130243/veteran-hong-kong-officials-among-new-faces-be-named-chinas

Commentary (评论)

China’s flagship Communist Party paper awash with declarations for Xi Jinping
Hong Kong Free Press, January 24, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/24/chinas-flagship-communist-party-paper-awash-declarations-xi-jinping/

China’s grim Christmas ritual: Imprisoning dissidents
The Diplomat, January 24, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/01/chinas-grim-christmas-ritual-imprisoning-dissidents/

Today’s UK parliamentary debate on Hong Kong democracy is timely and long overdue
Hong Kong Free Press, January 23, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/01/23/todays-uk-parliamentary-debate-hong-kong-democracy-timely-long-overdue/

Hong Kong leader’s role as university chancellor must end to protect academic freedom
South China Morning Post, January 23, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2130183/hong-kong-leaders-role-university-chancellor-must-end