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, September 10, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

涉嫌严重违纪违法,河北省公安厅原副厅长陈庆恩退休5年被查 (Former deputy director of Hebei public security bureau investigated 5 years after his retirement for serious disciplinary, legal violations)
The Paper, September 8, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2422094

Kunshan self-defense case: Justice, or stability maintenance?
China Digital Times, September 7, 2018
https://chinadigitaltimes.net/2018/09/kunshan-self-defense-case-justice-or-stability-maintenance/

Ailing rights activist “beaten” by prosecutor in China's Sichuan: Lawyer
Radio Free Asia, September 7, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/huangqi-beating-09072018132253.html

Related:
四川维权人士黄琦看守所内遭迫害 (Sichuan activist Huang Qi tortured in detention as authorities attempt to coax confession, family calls for medical parole as health deteriorates)
Radio Free Asia, September 7, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql1-09072018092220.html

Prominent Chinese rights activist “released” on bail, but surveillance continues
Radio Free Asia, September 7, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/prominent-chinese-rights-activist-released-on-bail-09072018094248.html

代理肺结核案 陈科云将失律师资格 (Guangzhou lawyer Chen Keyun disqualified for representing tuberculosis victims in rights defense case)
Radio Free Asia, September 7, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf2-09072018092746.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

中国修改历史教科书 习近平姿态惹注意 (CPC amends history textbooks, Cultural Revolution no longer narrated as "mistake," classified under "difficult explorations")
Voice of America, September 10, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/news-mao-becomes-mistakes-free-again-in-chinese-history-textbooks-20180909/4563936.html

陕西重拳打击“假记者、新闻敲诈” (Shaanxi launches special campaign for the centralized rectification of public opinion, cracking down on fake journalists and news extortion)
Beijing Youth Daily, September 10, 2018
http://zqb.cyol.com/html/2018-09/10/nw.D110000zgqnb_20180910_3-08.htm

天津庭审央视刘芳菲港商丈夫遭检察院酷刑致死案 (State media gagged as trial begins on death of Hong Kong businessman Liu Xiyong following torture, wife's Weibo posts deleted)
Voice of America, September 8, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/case-of-cctv-anchor-husband-in-tianjin-20180908/4563090.html

As China faces record-breaking flood levels, authorities arrest two women for spreading “rumors” [H1] of health risks
Global Voices, September 7, 2018
https://advox.globalvoices.org/2018/09/07/as-china-faces-record-breaking-flood-levels-authorities-arrest-two-women-for-spreading-rumors-of-health-risks/

Related:
China clamps down on public discussion of African swine flu outbreaks
Radio Free Asia, September 7, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/outbreaks-09072018110830.html

Fake news is in the eye of the beholder: China is centralizing efforts to stop online “rumors”
Hong Kong Free Press, September 8, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/09/08/fake-news-eye-beholder-china-centralising-efforts-stop-online-rumours/

China arrests Uighur editor, newspaper directors for being "two-faced"
Committee to Protect Journalists, September 7, 2018
https://cpj.org/2018/09/china-arrests-uighur-editor-newspaper-directors-fo.php

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

China outlaws large underground Protestant church in Beijing
Reuters, September 10, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-religion/china-outlaws-large-underground-protestant-church-in-beijing-idUSKCN1LQ07W?

Related:
Crackdown on Christian churches intensifies in China
Voice of America, September 7, 2018
https://www.voanews.com/a/crackdown-on-christian-churches-intensifies-in-china/4561700.html

北京、成都、郑州三家庭教会同日被查封 (Three family churches in Beijing, Chengdu and Zhengzhou were closed down on the same day)
Radio Free Asia, September 10, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shehui/yf2-09102018095043.html

四川老兵继续维权与警察冲突遭喷辣椒水 (Sichuan veterans are sprayed with pepper water by police during petitioning)
Voice of America, September 10, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/news-sichuan-veterans-clashed-with-police-whiling-demanding-rights-20180910/4564714.html

聲援深圳工運學生悼「毛」被帶走 (Jasic protest supporters taken away from gathering on Mao Zedong’s memorial)
Ming Pao, September 10, 2018
https://news.mingpao.com/pns/dailynews/web_tc/article/20180910/s00013/1536517466359

Wife of Chinese activist locked up over June 4 liquor labels on a mission to ensure he is not forgotten
South China Morning Post, September 8, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2163328/mainland-chinese-woman-mission-ensure-husband-locked-2016

Rights groups urge release of Chinese anti-censorship activist facing subversion charge
Hong Kong Free Press, September 7, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/09/07/rights-groups-urge-release-chinese-anti-censorship-activist-facing-subversion-charge/

Government Accountability (政府问责)

U.N. rights chief Bachelet takes on China, other powers in first speech
Reuters, September 10, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-un-rights/rights-chief-bachelet-takes-on-china-other-powers-in-first-speech-idUSKCN1LQ0QI

Related:
联合国人权高专对中国关押大批维吾尔人的指称“深感不安” (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is "deeply disturbed" by allegations of a large number of Uighurs detained in China)
Voice of America, September 10, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/news-bachelet-takes-on-china-eu-us-and-saudi-led-coalition-in-first-speech-20180910/4564682.html

阻拦强拆反被打 报警却被指骚扰(Attempt to stop forced demolition brought beating, calling for police help led to harassment charge)
Radio Free Asia, September 10, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf1-09102018094946.html

「被噤聲」的中國P2P受害者:抗議遭毆打、回家被監控,只好自殺留下遺書 (Silenced P2P victim beaten and under surveillance scorns government in suicide note, family complains of forced cremation)
The News Lens, September 9, 2018
https://www.thenewslens.com/article/103750

US recalls top diplomats after three Taipei allies in Latin America switch recognition to Beijing
South China Morning Post, September 8, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/2163345/us-recalls-diplomats-countries-switched-ties-taiwan-beijing

Related:
Panama seeks “respect” for Taiwan snub after US recalls envoys
Hong Kong Free press, September 10, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/09/10/panama-seeks-respect-taiwan-snub-us-recalls-envoys/

北京疏散大坂机场旅客台湾人要认“中国人”方可获救 (Taiwanese tourists stranded in Osaka Kansai airport requested to admit they are "Chinese" before Chinese embassy offers help)
Radio France Internationale, September 7, 2018
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20180907-北京疏散大坂机场旅客台湾人要认中国人方可获救

China Is detaining Muslims in vast numbers. The goal: “Transformation”
The New York Times, September 8, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/08/world/asia/china-uighur-muslim-detention-camp.html
CN: https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20180908/china-builds-a-vast-network-of-detention-camps-to-transform-muslims/zh-ha/

Related:
China: Massive crackdown in Muslim region
Human Rights Watch, September 9, 2018
https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/09/09/china-massive-crackdown-muslim-region

Chinese authorities continue to destroy mosques in Xinjiang
Radio Free Asia, September 7, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/chinese-authorities-continue-to-destroy-mosques-in-xinjiang-09072018171910.html

维族人受迫害 人权组织要求制裁中国 (In just-released report, Human Rights Watch states that China should be condemned and sanctioned by international community for persecution of Uyghurs)
Deutsche Welle, September 10, 2018
https://p.dw.com/p/34bxX

“Palau against China!”: The tiny island standing up to a giant
The Guardian, September, 8, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/sep/08/palau-against-china-the-tiny-island-defying-the-worlds-biggest-country

美议员致信蓬佩奥 要求谴责中国打压维吾尔人 (In joint letter, U.S. senators urge Secretary of State to condemn Chinese authorities’ crackdown on Uyghurs)
Radio Free Asia, September 7, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shaoshuminzu/hj-09072018110034.html

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Is Taiwan becoming a surveillance state[H2] ? Privacy advocates sound alarm
South China Morning Post, September 9, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/2163365/taiwan-becoming-surveillance-state-privacy-advocates-sound-alarm

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

上海官方工会文件首次将“境外敌对势力”与境外NGO挂勾(For the first time, official Shanghai union document links "outside hostile forces" with foreign NGOs)
Radio France Internationale, September 9, 2018
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20180909-上海官方工会文件首次将境外敌对势力与境外ngo挂勾

民警依法履职致公民权益受损拟不担责 (New draft regulations to exempt police officers from liability if violation of civil rights was in course of rightful execution of duty)
Beijing News, September 9, 2018
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/news/2018/09/09/503966.html

China’s little-noticed “new police law” gives vastly expanded legal powers to public security apparatus
China Change, September 6, 2018
https://chinachange.org/2018/09/06/chinas-little-noticed-new-police-law-gives-vastly-expanded-legal-powers-to-public-security-apparatus/

Hong Kong (香港)

Sacrifices Hong Kong made for high-speed rail to mainland China: Is it worth it?
South China Morning Post, September 10, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2163423/sacrifices-hong-kong-made-high-speed-rail-mainland

Related:
Passengers blacklisted by mainland will not be able to buy high-speed rail tickets from Hong Kong
Hong Kong Free Press, September 8, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/09/08/passengers-blacklisted-mainland-will-not-able-buy-high-speed-rail-tickets-hong-kong/

林鄭月娥冀市民不要排斥單程證制度 審批權一直在內地 (Carrie Lam warns mention of “sovereign area” steps on China's red line as citizens suggest retaking One-way Permit approval powers)
Radio Television Hong Kong, September 9, 2018
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1416876-20180909.htm

Commentary (评论)

Why Beijing will sacrifice its middle class in trade war with Donald Trump
South China Morning Post, September 10, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/china-economy/article/2163165/why-beijing-will-sacrifice-its-middle-class-trade-war

Hong Kong must bravely confront the problems of “one country, two systems”
South China Morning Post, September 9, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2163267/hong-kong-must-bravely-confront-problems-one

Clean out your wardrobes: Hong Kong Occupy activist convicted partly on the evidence of his shirt
Hong Kong Free Press, September 9, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/09/09/clean-wardrobes-hong-kong-occupy-activist-convicted-evidence-shirt/

周日話題﹕709,中國法治史黑暗的一章 (709: the darkest chapter in China’s rule of law)
Ming Pao, September 9, 2018
https://news.mingpao.com/pns/dailynews/web_tc/article/20180909/s00005/1536430176205

What to say when you’re a Chinese Communist Party official
Hong Kong Free Press, September 8, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/09/08/say-youre-chinese-communist-party-official/

Bolder plans on schools, health and tax needed for Chinese to benefit from reforms
South China Morning Post, September 8, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/2163248/bolder-plans-schools-health-and-tax-needed-chinese-benefit-reforms

When freedom takes some strange forms in Hong Kong
South China Morning Post, September 8, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2163374/when-freedom-takes-some-strange-forms-hong-kong

废除死刑路漫漫 (Abolishing death penalty is a long, winding road)
Deutsche Welle, September 8, 2018
https://p.dw.com/p/34Uue