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, January 16, 2020

Xinjiang (新疆)

Documenting the Tragedy in Xinjiang: An Insider’s View of Atajurt
The Diplomat, January 16, 2020

Mass detentions, surveillance, and ethnic repression in China’s far west: the situation right now
SupChina, January 15, 2020

Targeted by Chinese Smear Campaign, Uyghur Leader Learns of Father’s Death
Radio Free Asia, January 15, 2020

Access to Justice (司法公正)

人权组织敦促中国释放人权律师 停止新一轮围捕行动 (Rights group urges China to release human rights lawyers and cease fresh round of arrests)
Voice of America, January 15, 2020

Related:
China: Release Human Rights Lawyer Chang Weiping & End the Current Round of Arrests
Chinese Human Rights Defenders, January 15, 2020

China Continues Nationwide Crackdown on Rights Lawyers, Activists
Radio Free Asia, January 15, 2020

Access to Information (信息公开)

‘LOL!’: China’s informal, confrontational Twitter diplomacy
Hong Kong Free Press, January 14, 2020

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Chinese protesters angle for Liu He’s attention as his motorcade whizzes past
South China Morning Post, January 16, 2020

Government Accountability (政府问责)

US lawmakers propose sanctions over Chinese exit bans on Americans
Reuters, January 15, 2020

Top Chinese intelligence agency, former EU ambassador embroiled in German spy investigation
South China Morning Post, January 16, 2020

Mystery pneumonia outbreak could have been spread between family members – Chinese officials
Agence France-Presse, January 16, 2020

New Law Requiring 'Ethnic Unity' in Tibet Raises Concerns
Radio Free Asia, January 15, 2020

Hong Kong (香港)

林鄭月娥:一國兩制行穩致遠 2047後都不會改變 ("There is reason to believe" One Country, Two Systems could continue after 2047 if it is implemented properly, says Carrie Lam)
Radio Television Hong Kong, January 16, 2020

Related:
Carrie Lam says Hong Kong’s capitalist system can only survive beyond 2047 if ‘one country, two systems’ is fully respected
South China Morning Post, January 16, 2020

林鄭:不接受有指香港出現警暴 強調自己「非常愛護青年人」(Carrie Lam says she "does not accept allegations of police violence in Hong Kong")
Stand News, January 16, 2020

Related:
Hong Kong protests: if people behaved, police wouldn’t have to use force, government says, as it hits back at critical Human Rights Watch report
South China Morning Post, January 15, 2020

林鄭出席立法會答問會 下月成立A貨「獨立檢討委員會」("Independent Review Committee" to be established next month)
Inmediahk.net, January 16, 2020

Hong Kong teachers living in fear over protest support
Agence France-Presse, January 16, 2020

Hong Kong security chief defends police tactics amid reports of electroshock weapons being introduced
Hong Kong Free Press, January 15, 2020

11.18營救理大 哈薩克籍浸大生藏汽油彈 還柙57天終獲保釋 (Kazakhstan student remanded in custody for 57 days over PolyU protests finally obtains bail)
Inmediahk.net, January 15, 2020

Legal challenges filed after Hong Kong police obtain warrants to search seized digital devices
Hong Kong Free Press, January 15, 2020

Commentary (评论)

Sexual minorities in need of equal rights
South China Morning Post, January 15, 2020

Taiwan Deserves to Be a Normal Country
Foreign Police, January 15, 2020

The state of labour relations in China, 2019
China Labour Bulletin, January 13, 2020