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, April 12, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Video: Wife of Chinese rights lawyer put under house arrest as Amnesty condemns “display of thuggery”
Agence France-Presse, April 12, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/04/12/video-wife-chinese-rights-lawyer-put-house-arrest-amnesty-condemns-display-thuggery/

China named “world’s top executioner” as global rate falls
The Guardian, April 12, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/12/china-named-worlds-top-executioner-as-global-rate-falls

How China uses forced confessions as propaganda tool
The New York Times, April 11, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/11/world/asia/china-forced-confessions-propaganda.html

Related:
Rights groups slam China's televised “confessions,” call for sanctions on state media
Radio Free Asia, April 11, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/confessions-sanctions-04112018140238.html

China keeps delaying talks on letting Liu Xiaobo’s widow leave the country – source
Reuters, April 11, 2018
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-china-rights/china-keeps-delaying-talks-on-letting-liu-xiaobos-widow-leave-the-country-source-idUKKBN1HI0YD

推广业务搭售、附送业主及车主信息近百万条,重庆判决一起侵犯公民个人信息案29人获刑(29 people in Chongqing sentenced to up to 4.5 years for selling personal information)
Legal Daily, April 10, 2018
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2018-04/10/content_7517856.htm

Access to Information (信息公开)

山东退休教授孙文广遭监控 退休待遇或将取消 (Retired university professor in Shandong punished for criticizing CPC online)
Radio Free Asia, April 11, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf1-04112018110121.html

新疆网络风声鹤唳 多名少数民族汉族网民被处罚 (Multiple netizens in Xinjiang detained for spreading “terrorism videos” and “political rumours”)
Radio Free Asia, April 11, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shaoshuminzu/ql1-04112018105956.html

China just shut down a Reddit-like community
Inkstone, April 11, 2018
https://www.inkstonenews.com/society/china-shuts-down-neihan-duanzi-app-improper-content/article/2141253

Related:
Tech shame in the “New Era”
China Media Project, April 11, 2018
http://chinamediaproject.org/2018/04/11/tech-shame-in-the-new-era/

抖音暂时关闭直播、评论功能 回应称将全面整改 (Douyin, short-video social media platform, temporarily suspends live-streaming, comment functionality to “improve content review standards”)
Economic Daily, April 11, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/finance/2018-04/11/c_129848402.htm

微博开展涉未成年人违规违法内容专项清理行动,持续三个月 (Sina Weibo bans “vulgar” videos of minors for 3 months)
Sina Weibo Administrator, April 11, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2070437

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

封「內涵段子」 用戶號召上街 百車塞廣電總局示威 (Hundreds protest at State Administration of Radio and Television in Beijing against popular joke app being permanently shut down)
Mingpao, April 12, 2018
https://news.mingpao.com/pns/dailynews/web_tc/article/20180412/s00013/1523470006455

Related:
江苏海门“抖友”召集四十多辆车拍视频,警方:未许可涉触法 (Police to users of Douyin, a popular short-video social media platform, who gather 40 cars to shoot videos in Jiangsu Province Haimen City: Assembly without permission is illegal)
The Paper, April 10, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_206781/

Confrontation and disruption in a new exhibition by Chinese-American artist Xiaoze Xie
Global Voices, April 11, 2018
https://globalvoices.org/2018/04/11/confrontation-and-disruption-in-a-new-exhibition-by-chinese-american-artist-xiaoze-xie/

Government Accountability (政府问责)

高隽松:“去中心化”的国务院,贯彻始终的“党领导” (Decentralized State Council and overarching Party leadership)
The Initium, April 12, 2018
https://theinitium.com/article/20180412-opinion-ccp-reformation-plan/

孙政才受贿案一审开庭 被控收受财物1.7亿余元 (Disgraced former Chongqing party chief Sun Zhengcai faces trial, accused of accepting over RMB 170 million of bribes)
Xinhua News Agency, April 12, 2018
http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2018-04-12/doc-ifyteqtq8866465.shtml

Related:
Former Chinese political star Sun Zhengcai admits taking bribes
South China Morning Post, April 12, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2141361/ex-chinese-government-high-flyer-trial-over-graft

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Facial recognition tech catches fugitive among huge crowd at pop concert in China
South China Morning Post, April 12, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2141387/facial-recognition-tech-catches-fugitive-among-huge-crowd-pop

Related:
一网上逃犯到南昌听张学友演唱会,被人像识别系统认出后落网 (Police arrests fugitive through facial recognition at concert filled with 10,000 spectators)
Jxnews.com.cn, April 10, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2068715

Report: Uyghurs in china forced to install surveillance app that leaves their data unsecured
Radio Free Asia, April 11, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/report-uyghurs-in-china-forced-to-install-surveillance-app-that-leaves-their-data-unsecured-04102018164341.html

Related:
App targeting Uyghur population censors content, lacks basic security
Open Technology Fund, April 9, 2018
https://www.opentech.fund/article/app-targeting-uyghur-population-censors-content-lacks-basic-security/

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

Chinese navy stages double show of strength as US strike group drills in disputed South China Sea
South China Morning Post, April 12, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2141322/chinese-navy-stages-double-show-strength-us-strike

Sweden charges Tibetan resident with spying on fellow exiles for China
The Guardian, April 12, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/12/sweden-charges-tibetan-resident-with-spying-on-fellow-exiles-for-china

Hong Kong (香港)

Interview: Labelled a “threat to China,” Hong Kong law scholar Benny Tai says Beijing is trying to brainwash Hongkongers
Hong Kong Free Press, April 12, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/04/12/interview-labelled-threat-china-hong-kong-law-scholar-benny-tai-says-beijing-trying-brainwash-hongkongers/

Hongkongers say press freedom has dropped to its lowest point – survey
Hong Kong Free Press, April 12, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/04/12/hongkongers-say-press-freedom-dropped-lowest-point-survey/

Related:
Public evaluation of Hong Kong press freedom drops to new low
Hong Kong Journalist Association, April 11, 2018
https://www.hkja.org.hk/site/portal/Site.aspx?id=A1-1633&lang=en-US

Hong Kong legislators to vote on Cheng Chung-tai’s future over flag-flipping antics
South China Morning Post, April 12, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2141306/hong-kong-legislators-vote-cheng-chung-tais-future-over-flag

Journalist group slams “rude” men who kissed TV reporter on air at Hong Kong Rugby Sevens
South China Morning Post, April 12, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2141356/air-kiss-during-hong-kong-sevens-could-be-considered-sexual

Commentary (评论)

Human cost of Mao’s Great Famine and Cultural Revolution exposed in powerful novel
South China Morning Post, April 12, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/books/article/2141230/human-cost-maos-great-famine-and-cultural-revolution

黃偉國:風雨中抱緊學術自由 (Hold on to academic freedom in wind and rain)
Inmediahk, April 12, 2018
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1056328

China’s communist party takes (even more) control of the media
China File, April 11, 2018
http://www.chinafile.com/conversation/chinas-communist-party-takes-even-more-control-of-media

UN chief puts China’s leaders over its people
Human Rights Watch, April 11, 2018
https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/04/11/un-chief-puts-chinas-leaders-over-its-people

左右逢源還是踏入雷區?馬來西亞大選中的「中國因素」(Taking advantage on both sides or stepping into a minefield: The “China Factor” in Malaysia’s general election
The Initium, April 11, 2018
https://theinitium.com/article/20180411-opinion-lifangfang-malaysia-election/