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.

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

没有呈堂的物证:第三人DNA疑被隐匿,男子因杀人罪入狱16年,写血书申诉 (Man appeals murder conviction after spending 16 years in jail, alleging forced confession and spoliation of evidence)
Beijing Youth Daily, July 24, 2018
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzU2MzQzOTg1Nw==&mid=2247484931&idx=1&sn=b539e0cd35d60bece477fcfe769c1f4b&chksm=fc5b779dcb2cfe8b54fc7973d7dec56f8b547aa77cb53e7520e4be4ff09c92a0b2ef64530cd5&scene=0#rd

甘肃蒙冤企业家获无罪:被关11年,拟申请国家赔偿逾20亿 (Wrongfully convicted businessman who spent 11 years in prison for alleged contract fraud seeks RMB 2 billion in state compensation)
The Paper, July 24, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2287501

北京:以个人名义公开募捐拟被禁止,承诺捐款未履行将被起诉 (Beijing solicits public comments on its proposal to regulate city’s philanthropic industry, including ban on personal fund raising and prosecution for failure to pay donation pledge)
The Paper, July 24, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2288092

人权捍卫者黎容好被构陷案今开庭审理,公诉人未建议量刑 法官未依法宣告当庭释放 (Rights defender Li Ronghao’s trial: Prosecutor did not press for a sentence charge, yet judge refuses to release Li)
China Human Rights Defenders, July 23, 2018
http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2018/07/blog-post_56.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

China censors social media posts about vaccine scandal, monitor says, as tabloid suggests issue has been overblown
South China Morning Post, July 25, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2156691/china-censors-social-media-posts-about-vaccine-scandal-monitor

Related:
Chinese vaccine firm hit with probes as Beijing seeks to tamp down outrage
Channel NewsAsia, July 25, 2018
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/health/chinese-vaccine-firm-hit-with-probes-as-beijing-seeks-to-tamp-down-outrage-10557168

Beijing continues to play down “Made in China 2025,” saying world should take “objective” view
South China Morning Post, July 24, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/economy/article/2156676/beijing-continues-play-down-made-china-2025-saying-world-should

US airlines poised to change Taiwan references as China deadline looms
Reuters, July 24, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-airlines-china/us-airlines-poised-to-change-taiwan-references-as-china-deadline-looms-idUSKBN1KE1GB

Related:
Beijing weighs options as deadline looms for airlines to describe Taiwan as part of China
South China Morning Post, July 24, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2156686/beijing-weighs-options-deadline-looms-airlines-describe

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

环保公益人冯永锋被曝性骚扰,回应:将彻底戒酒,绝不再犯 (Environmental activist Feng Yongfeng vows to quit drinking amid sexual assault allegations)
The Paper, July 24, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2288645

Related:
知名公益人雷闯性侵事件:举报者否认和他有恋人关系 (Rights activist considers submitting himself to police after accuser denies that they were in a relationship)
The Paper, July 23, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2287284

北京家庭教会吁政府尊重信仰自由 (34 Christian house churches in Beijing release joint statement, urging authorities to respect religious freedom)
Radio Free Asia, July 24, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shehui/gf1-07242018094351.html

厕所里“推翻共产党”标语, 另一种“厕所革命” (In another kind of “Bathroom Revolution,” handwritten messages such as “overthrowing the Communist Party” appear on walls of public restrooms in major cities)
The Voice of America, July 24, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/toilet-revolution-20180723/4495369.html

李美青、陈燕华就其看望709家属李文足时遭警方殴打致骨折案提起行政诉讼 (Rights defenders file administrative suit for broken bones from police beating during their visit to Li Wenzu, 709 rights lawyer’s wife)
China Human Rights Defenders, July 23, 2018
http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2018/07/709_23.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

国家能源局原副局长王晓林涉受贿罪被逮捕 (Deputy Director of National Energy Administration is arrested on corruption charges)
Supreme People's Procuratorate, July 24, 2018
http://news.ifeng.com/a/20180724/59379120_0.shtml

China’s vaccination system has been tainted by corruption, weak regulations and staff shortages
South China Morning Post, July 24, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2156525/three-cancers-attacking-health-chinas-vaccine-system

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Parallel traders, beware: new facial recognition system installed at Hong Kong-Shenzhen border
South China Morning Post, July 24, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2156510/china-uses-facial-recognition-system-deter-tax-free-traders-hong

小米应用商店全面清查:决定不再收录新增的P2P理财类应用 (Xiaomi tightens scrutiny on P2P lending apps on its platform)
The Paper, July 24, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2290083

Beijing’s Big Brother tech needs African faces
Foreign Policy, July 24, 2018
https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/07/24/beijings-big-brother-tech-needs-african-faces/

Hong Kong (香港)

Pro-democracy district councilors accuse electoral body of gerrymandering in 2019 election redistricting
Hong Kong Free Press, July 24, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/07/24/pro-democracy-district-councillors-accuse-electoral-body-gerrymandering-2019-election-redistricting/

2018香港书展:寒蝉效应下被萎缩的自由出版市场 (Chilling effect of diminished freedom in publishing: number of “politically sensitive” books is reduced at Hong Kong Book Fair)
BBC News, July 24, 2018
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-44920323

Hong Kong rural leaders call for Beijing to interpret Basic Law to keep home-building rights
South China Morning Post, July 24, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2156517/hong-kong-rural-leaders-call-beijing-interpret-basic-law

Hong Kong academics warn of “political battleground” at universities
Channel NewsAsia, July 24, 2018
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/hong-kong-academics-warn-of--political-battleground--at-universities-10557276

Commentary (评论)

China, EU seize control of the world’s cyber agenda
Politico, July 24, 2018
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/07/22/china-europeglobal-cyber-agenda-us-internet-735083

“问题疫苗真是疫苗问题吗?” (Is the real problem just about vaccine?)
Deutsche Welle, July 24, 2018
https://p.dw.com/p/31zX3