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, February 19, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

All 7 Uyghur escapees recaptured in Mukdahan, Thailand
Bangkok Post, February 17, 2019

“我也是维吾尔人”:海外维族人要求公开失踪亲属下落
“Show me that my father is alive.” China faces torrent of online pleas
The New York Times, February 17, 2019

Yeshiva University students attend rally to protest Chinese internment of Uyghurs
YU Commentator, February 17, 2019

County in Xinjiang: A case study in destroying faith
Bitter Winter, February 15, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

指遺憾王全璋案無公開審訊 港大律師公會:削內地司法制度信心 (Hong Kong Bar Association: trying Wang Quanzhang behind closed doors will diminish public confidence in mainland judicial system)
Ming Pao, February 19, 2019

Related:
香港大律師公會就王全璋一案之聲明 (Hong Kong Bar Association’s statement on Wang Quanzhang conviction)
Hong Kong Bar Association, February 19, 2019

Police embedded in grass-roots Communist Party cells as security grip tightens on Beijing
South China Morning Post, February 18, 2019

黄琦母亲见多国外交官后再度被控制
Mother of jailed Chinese rights activist under police guard in own home
Radio Free Asia, February 17, 2019

習近平:法治要從國情出發 決不能走西方「司法獨立」路 (Xi Jinping: China’s rule of law must proceed from national conditions, must not follow path of Western judicial independence)
The Stand News, February 16, 2019

Related:
加强党对全面依法治国的领导 (Xi Jinping: Strengthening CPC leadership on ruling the country according to law)
Qiushi, February 15, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

Gamifying propaganda: Everything you need to know about China’s “study Xi” app
What’s On Weibo, February 18, 2019

Related:
Alibaba is the force behind hit Chinese Communist Party app: Sources
Reuters, February 18, 2019

四部门:要求加强地图进出口管理 避免“问题地图”的产生 (Four ministries to regulate printing, importing, exporting maps to avoid “problematic maps”
People’s Daily, February 18, 2019

“你就是我,我就是你”,习近平引领媒体融合走上快车道 (“You are me, and I am you”: Xi Jinping fast-tracks media convergence for CPC propaganda)
The Paper, February 18, 2019

UK schools should halt further deals with China’s Confucius Institutes until review completed, Conservative Party watchdog says
Hong Kong Free Press, February 18, 2019

The trouble with obedience
China Media Project, February 18, 2019

艾未未:“取消片子的理由是我的政治身份”
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei’s segment cut from “Berlin, I Love You”
Deutsche Welle, February 18, 2019

Related:
Chinese censorship the talk of Berlin after Zhang Yimou film pulled from festival – and no wonder
South China Morning Post, February 15, 2019

中国审查魔手钳制弹幕 先审后播取缔即时评论 (China’s censorship extends to “bullet-screen” commentary in live stream videos)
Voice of America, February 16, 2019

Related:
Real-time censorship for real-time comments
SupChina, February 15, 2019

【專訪《寒冬》】揭新疆再教育營內幕 跨宗教網媒 Bitter Winter 總監:中共打壓只會聯合信徒力量 (Interview with Bitter Winter: CCP’s religious crackdown will only unite followers)
The Stand News, February 16, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Chinese province defends ban on children taking “illegal” Tibetan language classes
Agence France-Presse, February 19, 2019

Protests at Canadian universities raise concerns about Chinese government involvement
China Digital Times, February 18, 2019

Related:
Activist accuses Chinese government of meddling after McMaster speech disrupted
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, February 15, 2019

China denies role in backlash against Tibetan student’s election at University of Toronto
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, February 15, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China’s social credit system shows its teeth, banning millions from taking flights, trains
South China Morning Post, February 19, 2019

【秋雨教會】人權組織:中國警方前往泰國 跨境盤問當地華人基督徒 (Autumn Rain crackdown: Human rights organizations say China is sending police to Thailand to interrogate Chinese Christians)
The Stand News, February 18, 2019

China key suspect in pre-election hack against major parties
Sydney Morning Herald, February 18, 2019

China pressing Canadian companies to call Taiwan part of China, state documents show
The Star, February 15, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Shenzhen facial recognition firm remains silent after major data leak revealed
Caixin, February 16, 2019

Related:
Chinese company leaves Muslim-tracking facial recognition database exposed online
Zero Day Net, February 14, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

China’s State Council reveals details of Greater Bay Area plan to turn Hong Kong and 10 neighboring cities into economic hub
South China Morning Post, February 19, 2019

Related:
Many in Hong Kong fear greater integration with mainland China
Radio Free Asia, February 18, 2019

【移交逃犯】紐大學者孔傑榮:中港無引渡安排 因中國人權紀錄有問題 (Legal scholar Jerome Cohen: Hong Kong has no extradition agreement with China because of latter’s problematic human rights record)
The Stand News, February 19, 2019

Related:
Hong Kong, China, “rendition” and human rights
Jerome A. Cohen, February 18, 2019

【移交逃犯】戴啟思:堵塞漏洞之說有誤 單次移交建議值得憂慮 (Bar Association chairman: It is wrong to categorize proposed extradition law as “closing loopholes”)
The Stand News, February 18, 2019

Related:
The long arm of the law: Returning fugitives from justice
The Stand News, February 18, 2019

Legco ban on photocopying files of Hong Kong immigration chief’s curious 1996 exit is ridiculous, former Government Records Service director says
South China Morning Post, February 17, 2019

Hundreds of Hong Kong protesters march to Kwong Wah Hospital, claiming city’s health care system overwhelmed by mainland Chinese migrants
South China Morning Post, February 17, 2019

DQ案上訴遭駁回 梁國雄:一定打到去終審法院 (Court of Appeal rejects Long Hair’s challenge to his disqualification, ousted lawmaker will appeal to Court of Final Appeal)
Inmediahk.net, February 15, 2019

Commentary (评论)

当中国变成了21世纪的生存威胁
How China brings us together
The New York Times, February 18, 2019

Russia to China: Together we can rule the world
Politico, February 17, 2019

China’s master plan: A weak Indian regime to emerge from elections
Hindustan Times, February 15, 2019

The world must save the Uyghurs
The Diplomat, February 15, 2019