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.

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

Despite China’s denials, its treatment of the Uyghurs should be called what it is: Cultural genocide
The Conversation, July 24, 2019

Chinese police still questioning wife of Australian Uyghur man, despite promising to help
Australian Broadcasting Corporation, July 24, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China must release detained labor rights advocates
Chinese Human Rights Defenders, July 25, 2019

196刀刺死闺蜜判死缓? 法院:两人情侣 有从轻情节 (Yangzhou court says romantic relationship a mitigating factor in upholding suspension of death sentence for woman who stabbed her girlfriend 196 times to death)
Beijing News, July 25, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

Universities must accept China’s directives on Confucius Institutes, contracts reveal
Sydney Morning Herald, July 25, 2019

A bot tweeting passages from modern China’s most famous writer has been silenced
Quartz, July 24, 2019

Hong Kong through China’s distorted lens
China Media Project, July 24, 2019

Taiwan: Abusive libel suit against Financial Times correspondent
Reporters Without Borders, July 24, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

“I love HK but hate it at the same time”
China File, July 24, 2019

Pro-China and pro-Hong Kong students clash at University of Queensland
The Guardian, July 24, 2019

Hong Kong activists target UK government with ad campaign
The Guardian, July 24, 2019

From Hu to Xi: China’s grip on environmental activism: PART II: Environmental activism from above and below
Dui Hua Human Rights Journal, July 24, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

UK lawmaker proposes bill for reciprocal access to Tibet
Radio Free Asia, July 24, 2019

“Pro-China” Boris Johnson “enthusiastic” about Belt and Road plan
South China Morning Post, July 24, 2019

Beijing’s military “lags behind” other countries, but “still good enough to defeat separatists”
South China Morning Post, July 24, 2019

Related:
China “makes no promise” not to invade democratic Taiwan
Radio Free Asia, July 24, 2019

China vows to take a hardline on child sexual abuse
SupChina, July 24, 2019

Hong Kong: Chairs urge administration to “strongly condemn” threat to deploy PLA
U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China, July 24, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China’s globally popular camera apps may open up user data to Beijing requests
CNBC, July 24, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

尹兆堅舉報元朗警區多名指揮官 公職人員行為失當 廉署:嚴肅跟進 (Democratic Party legislator lodges report to Independent Anti-Corruption Commission over suspected misfeasance in public office by Yuen Long police officers)
Stand News, July 25, 2019

Related:
再被問獨立調查委員會 鄭若驊:已思考不同意見,無其他補充 (“We have already considered various opinions,” says Secretary of Justice in maintaining refusal to set up independent commission of inquiry)
Stand News, July 25, 2019

What are the triads, and what is their history of violence?
The New York Times, July 24, 2019

“We saved ourselves”: Hong Kong train attack victims describe 30-minute ordeal
The Guardian, July 24, 2019

Related:
五問元朗黑夜:「預先張掦」的襲擊與多次缺席的警力 (Five questions about Yuen Long: The “forewarned” attack and the police who weren’t there)
The Initium, July 24, 2019

“The whole car smelled of blood”: Hong Kong victims describe brutal attack at Yuen Long MTR station; some may sue for damages
South China Morning Post, July 24, 2019

大陆帝吧网军个人资料突遭起底宣布解散未能攻击香港连登 (“50 cent army” Li Yi Bar withdraws attack on Hong Kong Internet forum after doxxers exploit Baidu’s real-name identification to sign individuals up for the PLA)
Radio France Internationale, July 24, 2019

中国暗示可能武力干预香港抗议活动
China hints its troops could be used to quell Hong Kong protests
The New York Times, July 24, 2019

Hong Kong protest organiser worried about risk of further violence at coming march in Yuen Long against gang attacks
South China Morning Post, July 24, 2019

Related:
11 名大專校長聯署 籲學生遠離「光復元朗」遊行 (11 university heads issue joint statement urging students not to attend march on Sunday, citing fear for triad attacks)
The Stand News, July 24, 2019

Hong Kong anti-government protests spill into Manchester City game
Reuters, July 24, 2019

Crunch time for Occupy cops
The Standard, July 25, 2019

Democrat Eddie Chu calls for investigation into pro-Beijing lawmaker Junius Ho’s alleged role in Yuen Long mob attacks
Hong Kong Free Press, July 24, 2019

Related:
【元朗襲擊】嶺大校董會主席歐陽伯權 去信教育局促查何君堯參與程度 (Lingnan University management committee urges Education Bureau to investigate legislator and fellow committee member Junius Ho’s participation in Yuen Long attacks)
The Stand News, July 24, 2019

Commentary (评论)

Will Taiwan choose China or choose the world? Its next presidential election will determine its future
South China Morning Post, July 25, 2019

Hong Kong’s protest stalemate can only be broken by giving the city the democracy it deserves
South China Morning Post, July 25, 2019