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.

Friday, November 16, 2018

Xinjiang (新疆)

十五位驻华大使联名致函陈全国 要求面谈新疆人权 (15 embassies issue letter to China requesting meeting with XUAR officials on human rights situation)
Radio Free Asia, November 15, 2018

Related:
環時社評:新疆穩定勝取悅西方 斥西方「應對無辜平民冤魂感羞愧」(Global Times: Stability in region trumps pleasing the West)
Ming Pao, November 16, 2018

专访:联邦议院讨论新疆问题具有重要意义 (Interview with German Federal Commissioner for Human Rights: The importance of the German parliament’s discussion of Xinjiang crisis)
Deutsche Welle, November 15, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

陳浩天律師團隊遭網絡攻擊 機密通訊疑被大陸黑客截取 (Hong Kong National Party leader Andy Chan’s lawyers attacked by mainland hackers, Bar Association urged to respond as police face conflict of interest)
The Stand News, November 15, 2018

Related:
Cyber-attackers reportedly target lawyers for Andy Chan, leader of banned pro-independence party
Hong Kong Free Press, November 16, 2018

广州荔湾警方继非法抓捕、酷刑审讯目击证人后,欲处罚孙世华律师 (After illegal arrest, assault, detention of key witnesses, Guangzhou police proceed to punish assaulted rights defense lawyer Sun Shihua)
Chinese Human Rights Defenders, November 16, 2018

Access to Information (信息公开)

中国网监出台新规定 全面彻底扼杀网络不同声音 (Cyberspace Administration of China issues new regulation stifing opinion on Internet)
Voice of America, November 15, 2018

Related:
国信办:具舆论属性或社会动员能力的网信服务应开展安全评估 (New Cyberspace Administration of China regulation mandates security evaluation for services with “public opinion” nature or “social mobilization” capabilities, including blogs, chatrooms, communication applications, and livestreams)
The Paper, November 15, 2018

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Peking University warns students to avoid activism with labour-rights group or face arrest
Agence France-Presse, November 16, 2018

Related:
北大校园公安暴力事件持续发酵 校方加强思想管控 (Police violence and abduction on Peking University campus continues to brew as university tightens thought control)
Voice of America, November 16, 2018

Government Accountability (政府问责)

中梵协议难挡温州地下教会主教再失踪 (Vatican-Beijing agreement fails to prevent bishop of underground church being disappeared)
Voice of America, November 16, 2018

Related:
Detention of bishop in China's Zhejiang casts doubts on Vatican deal
Radio Free Asia, November 15, 2018

China chemical spill: 7 arrested as fishermen wait for news on compensation
South China Morning Post, November 15, 2018

China offers Myanmar support over Rohingya issue after U.S. rebuke
Reuters, November 16, 2018

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

【監管加辣】《王者榮耀》啟用「賬號時長共享」、人臉識別 (Tencent tests implementation of facial recognition to access mobile game, in cooperation with government attempts to limit play time)
Ming Pao, November 15, 2018

Can China take a lesson from Estonia in using public data?
Deutsche Welle, November 15, 2018

Hong Kong (香港)

“Death knell” of press freedom in Hong Kong has been a long time coming
CNN, November 16, 2018

撐盡早為 23 條立法 田北俊:愈遲愈辣,中央幾年後更強勢 (“The earlier the better”: In backing motion on national security law, Liberal Party James Tien cites fears of worsening pressure from CPC if matter is dragged out)
The Stand News, November 16, 2018

“Another Chinese city?”: Review Hong Kong’s status as a separate customs area for tech exports, urges U.S. report
Hong Kong Free Press, November 15, 2018

Related:
Changing trade policy on Hong Kong will hurt U.S. just as much, city’s leader Carrie Lam says in response to critical congressional report
South China Morning Post, November 16, 2018

Top U.S. diplomat in Hong Kong Kurt Tong says congressional report calling for reassessment of city’s trade status “certainly deserves careful review”
South China Morning Post, November 16, 2018

Commentary (评论)

UN rights review gives Hong Kong a chance to uphold core values
South China Morning Post, November 16, 2018

讀者來函:為何佳士聲援團會被扣上「非法組織」的帽子? (Why are Jasic worker supporters labeled as an “illegal organization”?)
The Initium, November 16, 2018

On statehood: Xinjiang autonomy and its enemies
Brown Political Review, November 14, 2018