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, March 17, 2020

Access to Information (公众知情权)

China Announces That It Will Expel American Journalists
New York Times, March 17, 2020

Related:
中方针对美方打压中国媒体驻美机构行为采取反制措施
China Takes Countermeasures Against Restrictive Measures on Chinese Media Agencies in the US
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, March 18, 2020

HRIC Note: The move to prohibit New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post journalists with U.S. citizenship from working in Hong Kong, where there is no official registration requirement for journalists, directly contravenes the “one country, two systems” principle under which the  Hong Kong Special Administration Region is governed. Last October, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam stated clearly: “We have no intention or plan to start a centralised registration system for journalists, not to mention doing any vetting on who can conduct reporting . . . . Freedom of speech is a core value of Hong Kong, and I completely agree that the media has a role as the ‘fourth estate’ in monitoring the government. So our job is to facilitate and assist the work of the media.”

中国人权注:禁止《纽约时报》、《华尔街日报》和《华盛顿邮报》拥有美国国籍的记者在香港工作的举动,直接违反了香港特别行政区在“一国两制”原则管辖下的规定;在香港,记者没有正式注册的要求。去年十月,香港行政长官林郑月娥明确表示:“我们没有打算或计划启动针对记者的集中登记制度,更不用说对谁可以作什么报道进行任何审查……言论自由是香港的核心价值,我完全同意媒体在监督政府方面扮演着‘第四产业’的角色。因此,我们的工作是促进和协助媒体的工作。”

网络文革?辩手邱晨为“港独”言论致歉退圈 (An Internet Cultural Revolution? Well-known debater Qiu Chen apologizes for 6-year-old remarks accused as supportive of “Hong Kong independence”)
Deutsche Welle, March 17, 2020

中国赋予网警更大权力,压制有关疫情应对的愤怒和批评 (Muting coronavirus anger, China empowers its internet police)
The New York Times, March 17, 2020

面对当局对疫情报道的压制,中国记者发起反击 (As China cracks down on coronavirus coverage, journalists fight back)
The New York Times, March 16, 2020

中国称特朗普在推文中使用“中国病毒”是对中国的污名化 (China says Trump's use of "Chinese virus" in tweets is stigma over China)
Voice of America, March 17, 2020

Government Accountability (政府问责)

新冠争议发酵 中美互怼“冠名权” (Dispute over origin of the coronavirus escalates into U.S.-China diplomatic crisis S.)
Deutsche Welle, March 17, 2020

伊朗因新冠疫情大赦囚犯,中国呢? (Amid coronavirus outbreak, Iran amnesties prisoners, what about China?)
Radio Free Asia, March 16, 2020

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong loses ranking as world’s freest economy due to months of unrest
South China Morning Post, March 17, 2020

Attempts to probe alleged abuses by Hong Kong police fizzle as district councils told they are overstepping authority
South China Morning Post, March 17, 2020

Hong Kong pro-democracy camp split over holding internal ballots to maximise its chances in Legislative Council elections
South China Morning Post, March 17, 2020

林鄭:周四起所有抵港人士須隔離 14 天 將向全球地區發紅色旅遊警示 全面復課無期 (Hong Kong to require mandatory 14-day quarantine for all arriving travelers, except from mainland China, Macau, Taiwan; date for school reopening remains unclear)
The Stand News, March 17, 2020

警方拒出席會議 書面回覆錯字錯格式 北區區議會:龜縮卸責、極不尊重 (Police refuse to send representative to security briefing held by North District Council)
The Stand News, March 17, 2020

平機會朱敏健: 收近 600 疫症相關歧視查詢 餐廳拒招待內地客或涉殘疾歧視、種族歧視 (The Equal Opportunities Commission has received 600 discrimination complaints during the coronavirus outbreak; restaraunts refusing services to mainlander may have violated the Race Discrimination Ordinance, and discriminated against disabled)
The Stand News, March 17, 2020

許智峯私人檢控西灣河開槍警及深水埗撞人的士司機 東區法院下月 7 日開庭處理 (Hui Chi-fung files private prosecution against police officer who shot a protester at Sai Wan Ho and the taxi driver who ran over pedestrian; Eastern District court to review filing on April 7)
The Stand News, March 17, 2020

葉劉淑儀認為全面禁入境挫經濟 政府抗疫已做得好 (Regina Ip fears market impact from full border closure border, says government is doing a very good job in containing the disease)
Radio Television Hong Kong, March 17, 2020

Commentary (评论)

时事大家谈:听信中共宣传疫情好转,海外华人回国挤爆机场 (Current Affairs Discussion: Believing CPC’s propaganda about progress in controlling the coronavirus, overseas Chinese are returning and packing airports)
Voice of America, March 17, 2020