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, March 05, 2021

Hong Kong (香港)

Beijing vows to overhaul Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, tightening grip on elections
Hong Kong Free Press, March 5, 2021

Draft decision on improving HK electoral system submitted to China's top legislature for review
Xinhua News Agency, March 5, 2021

Related:
关于《全国人民代表大会关于完善香港特别行政区选举制度的决定(草案)》的说明 (Explanation of the "Decision of the National People's Congress on Improving the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's Electoral System (Draft)")
Xinhua News Agency, March 5, 2021

HRIC Note: Following recent announcements by Beijing authorities that only “patriots” should be allowed to hold government offices in Hong Kong, the “Draft Decision” on Hong Kong’s “electoral reform” was submitted on Friday, March 5, 2021, to the National People’s Congress for deliberation. The move is widely recognized and denounced by the pro-democracy camp in Hong Kong as a blatant step to demolish political opposition in the city, stripping away any pretense that the Chinese authorities still abide by the “one country, two systems” principle of governing Hong Kong.

The “Explanation” was delivered as a speech by Wang Chen, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress, on the same day, at the opening meeting of the fourth annual session of the 13th NPC. The speech points to the “chaos” in Hong Kong as indicative of the shortcomings in Hong Kong’s electoral system which “provides an opportunity for anti-China forces to seize the power of governance in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.”

Hong Kong electoral reforms: aspiring candidates for city’s next Legislative Council polls will need establishment’s blessing to run
South China Morning Post, March 5, 2021

Hong Kong: Statement by the Spokesperson on possible electoral reform
European Union External Action Service, March 5, 2021

National security law: surprise U-turn as Hong Kong prosecutors drop challenge to four defendants receiving bail in case of 47 opposition activists
South China Morning Post, March 5, 2021

Related:
Hong Kong national security law: marathon bail hearing triggers complaints from the 47 defendants over authorities’ handling of the subversion case
South China Morning Post, March 5, 2021

張舉能指示即時檢視各級法院處理涉及多名訴訟人的安排 (Chief Justice Andrew Cheung orders prompt review of arrangements for hearings involving multiple defendants)
Radio Television Hong Kong, March 5, 2021

【47 人案】前公民黨 5 子、梁晃維、劉穎匡等 10 人疑刪除 FB 伍健偉、王百羽停更新專頁 (10 of the 47 defendants appear to have deleted Facebook pages and 2 stopped updating)
Stand News, March 5, 2021

Hong Kong’s public universities should reflect national security law in curricula by new academic year, be ready to ‘suppress’ acts that violate it: education minister
South China Morning Post, March 5, 2021

Penniless Hong Kong BN(O) visa holders in Britain could be given financial aid under modified immigration policy
South China Morning Post, March 5, 2021

【取締民陣?】召集人陳皓桓:從未領外國資助 只靠市民捐款 對被指涉違國安法不明所以 (Convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front Figo Chan denies receiving foreign funding, puzzled by allegation of violating National Security Law)
Stand News, March 5, 2021

Related:
Statement in Response to Allegations of American Funding and Disbandment
回應被指收取美國捐款及被取締聲明

Civil Human Rights Front, March 5, 2021