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 24, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

“This is an eternal torture”: China accused of making Uygur children into “orphans” even though their parents are still alive
Associated Press, September 22, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2165303/eternal-torture-china-accused-making-uygur-children-orphans-even

Related:
被拘维吾尔人孩子落入孤儿院 (Children of detained Uyghurs sent to orphanages)
Radio Free Asia, September 21, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shaoshuminzu/nu2-09212018105110.html

做工作使被告人认罪引质疑,当事律师:属辩护策略,正常履职 (State-appointed Fuzhou lawyer faces ire over rumors of “diligent work to make suspect confess and repent”)
The Paper, September 22, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2467164

Chinese dissident couple granted bail but to face trial in Thailand
Radio Free Asia, September 21, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/thailand-bail-09212018131806.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

China demands apology over Swedish broadcaster’s comedy show on tourist spat
South China Morning Post, September 23, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/2165412/china-demands-apology-over-swedish-broadcasters-comedy-show

Minitrue: Control news on Hunan car attack
China Digital Times, September 21, 2018
https://chinadigitaltimes.net/2018/09/minitrue-control-news-on-hunan-car-attack/

Cyberspace Administration, Alibaba, ex-Google chiefs on China’s Internet
China Digital Times, September 21, 2018
https://chinadigitaltimes.net/2018/09/cyberspace-administration-alibaba-ex-google-chiefs-on-chinas-internet/

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Peking University threatens to close down Marxism society
Financial Times, September 24, 2018
https://www.ft.com/content/ccab09aa-bdc2-11e8-8274-55b72926558f

Related:
声援佳士工运 北大马列学会遭封杀 (Marxist student society at Peking University faces registration reprisal for supporting Jasic protests)
Radio Free Asia, September 21, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/zhengzhi/ql2-09212018095718.html

China: Families of up to one million detained in mass “re-education” drive demand answers
Amnesty International, September 24, 2018
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/09/china-xinjiang-families-of-up-to-one-million-detained-demand-answers/

Chinese student who could “never love my country” expelled after 2 weeks for being unpatriotic
South China Morning Post, September 23, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/2165414/chinese-student-who-could-never-love-my-country-expelled-after

Related:
大学生说“不爱国” 学校称其“辱国”取消学籍 (University student expelled for “insulting country”)
Radio France Internationale, September 23, 2018
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20180923-大学生说不爱国-学校称其辱国取消学籍

China’s state-sanctioned Catholic Church vows to remain “independent” after Vatican deal
South China Morning Post, September 23, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/2165423/chinas-state-sanctioned-catholic-church-vows-remain-independent

Beijing authorities slam Swedish police for humiliating Chinese tourists, but there's another side to the story
Global Voices, September 22, 2018
https://globalvoices.org/2018/09/22/beijing-authorities-slam-swedish-police-for-humiliating-chinese-tourists-but-theres-another-side-to-the-story/

黄金时段拟禁播境外节目 中国网友吐槽 (Netizens mock government plan to ban foreign TV programs during prime time)
Deutsche Welle, September 21, 2018
https://p.dw.com/p/35IG0

Government Accountability (政府问责)

With Vatican talks and bulldozers, China aims to control Christianity
The New York Times, September 24, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/24/world/asia/china-vatican-agreement-appoint-catholic-bishops.html

Fentanyl crisis: Is China a major source of illegal drugs?
BBC News, September 24, 2018
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-45564744

China opens embassy in Dominican Republic after break with Taiwan
Reuters, September 22, 2018
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/china-opens-embassy-in-dominican-republic-after-break-with-taiwan/article25013170.ece

China's Liaoning vows to eradicate “bad influence” of Bo Xilai
Reuters, September 22, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-politics/chinas-liaoning-vows-to-eradicate-bad-influence-of-bo-xilai-idUSKCN1M202V?

维族人指控中国强制安置孩童 (Uyghurs accuse China of compulsory orphanage placement of their children)
Deutsche Welle, September 21, 2018
https://p.dw.com/p/35HXF

国家发改委副主任努尔·白克力涉严重违纪违法被查 (High-ranking Uyghur official, deputy director of National Development and Reform Commission, investigated for serious disciplinary, legal violations)
People's Daily, September 21, 2018
http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2018/0921/c1001-30306632.html

Are Xi Jinping’s demands for Communist Party loyalty a bigger threat to China than Donald Trump’s trade war?
Bloomberg, September 21, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/2165218/are-xi-jinpings-demands-communist-party-loyalty-bigger-threat

As UN gathers, Taiwan, frozen out, struggles to get noticed
The New York Times, September 21, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/21/world/asia/taiwan-united-nations-joseph-wu.html

中宣部举办第十三届中国公民道德论坛 (CPC Propaganda Department holds 13th China Citizen Ethics Forum)
Xinhua, September 21, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2018-09/21/c_1123467958.htm

面对国际社会强烈批评 郭声琨称要继续在新疆加强“教育改造” (Facing strong international criticism, China’s Political and Legal Affairs Commission says it will continue to “intensify re-education” of detainees in Xinjiang)
Voice of America, September 21, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/news-top-china-official-urges-reform-through-education-for-xinjiang-prisoners-20180921/4581276.html

Related:
Mike Pompeo denounces China’s “awful abuses” of detained Muslim Uygurs
Agence France-Presse, September 22, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/2165302/mike-pompeo-denounces-chinas-awful-abuses-detained-muslim

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

How tensions with the West are putting the future of China’s Skynet mass surveillance system at stake
South China Morning Post, September 23, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/2165372/how-tensions-west-are-putting-future-chinas-skynet-mass

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

Taiwan “spy scandal” a symptom of Beijing’s growing distrust of Taipei, observers say
South China Morning Post, September 23, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/2165336/taiwan-spy-scandal-symptom-beijings-growing-distrust-taipei

美国务院报告评析中国反恐 (U.S. State Department 2017 annual report on status of counter-terrorism in various countries says China’s main counter-terrorism efforts have focused on “Uyghur extremists”)
Radio Free Asia, September 20, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/nu-09202018105443.html

Hong Kong (香港)

Pro-independence party officially banned by Hong Kong gov’t in historic move restricting freedom of assembly
Hong Kong Free Press, September 24, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/09/24/breaking-pro-independence-party-officially-banned-hong-kong-govt-historic-move-restricting-freedom-assembly/

Related:
Hong Kong issues unprecedented ban on Andy Chan’s separatist National Party, citing security risks
South China Morning Post, September 24, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2165439/hong-kong-issues-unprecedented-ban-separatist-party

国务院港澳办就支持港府依法禁止“香港民族党”运作发表谈话 (Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office on party ban: Regardless of violence, all “Hong Kong independence” views are threats to national security)
The Paper, September 24, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2470947

【禁民族黨運作】李家超:涉及非法社團罪行即時適用 不公布行動細節 (HK Security Bureau: Hong Kong National Party is deemed unlawful effective immediately, related criminal offences apply)
The Stand News, September 24, 2018
https://thestandnews.com/politics/禁民族黨運作-李家超-涉及非法社團罪行即時適用-不公布行動細節/

高铁香港段首日通车:热闹与混乱的背后 “一地两检”忧虑仍在 (Hong Kong express rail link launches amid concerns over co-location arrangement)
BBC News, September 23, 2018
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-45618599

Related:
Hong Kong is bound tighter to China (by bridge and bullet train)
The New York Times, September 22, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/22/world/asia/hong-kong-high-speed-rail.html

支聯會遊行到中聯辦要求釋放內地異見人士 (Hong Kong Alliance marches to Liaison Office, demands release of dissidents jailed in mainland)
Radio Television Hong Kong, September 23, 2018
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1419575-20180923.htm

Commentary (评论)

缅甸佤邦打压基督教,或因中国授意防范西方势力 (Myanmar crackdown on Christianity might be on China’s orders)
Voice of America, September 24, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/uwsa-20180923/4583877.html

China’s lack of “supervision by public opinion”: What happens when press control is too effective?
Hong Kong Free Press, September 23, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/09/23/chinas-lack-supervision-public-opinion-happens-press-control-effective/

Express Rail Link: Handy for trips to places without airports, slow and dear to anywhere else
Hong Kong Free Press, September 22, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/09/22/express-rail-link-handy-trips-places-without-airports-slow-dear-anywhere-else/

Signs of China (2)
China Change, September 22, 2018
https://chinachange.org/2018/09/22/signs-of-china-2/

Muslims in Xinjiang are facing human rights abuses: time for China scholars to break the silence
South China Morning Post, September 20, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/2164698/muslims-xinjiang-are-facing-human-rights-abuses-time-china-scholars

Related:
百名西方学者联署呼吁为维族人发声 (Two China scholars urge their counterparts from around the world to break silence on Uyghurs)
Radio France Internationale, September 20, 2018
http://cn.rfi.fr/20180920-muslims-xinjiang-are-facing-human-rights-abuses-time-china-scholars-break-silence