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.

Monday, February 22, 2021

Xinjiang (新疆)

Allegations of shackled students and gang rape inside China's detention camps
CNN, February 19, 2021

Taiwan (台湾)

Four Taiwan ex-intelligence officers charged with spying for China
Agence France-Presse, February 21, 2021

台湾军情局四名退役高官被控为中共充当间谍 (4 retired senior officials of Taiwan’s Military Intelligence Bureau (MIB) are indicted for spying for China)
Voice of America, February 21, 2021

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Chinese blogger Qiu Ziming charged over ‘malicious’ India border casualty posts
South China Morning Post, February 20, 2021

Access to Information (公众知情权)

华春莹反问为啥中国人不能用推特脸书?网民爆笑如雷 (Chinese netizens in stiches over Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying’s comment to foreign reporter: “Why can't Chinese use Twitter and Facebook?”)
Radio Free Asia, February 20, 2021

Government Accountability (政府问责)

White House: China And WHO Need To 'Step Up' On Investigation Into Origin Of Pandemic
National Public Radio, February 21, 2021

Covid-19 Was Spreading in China Before First Confirmed Cases, Fresh Evidence Suggests
新证据显示发现首个确诊病例前,新冠病毒可能已在中国传播
The Wall Street Journal, February 22, 2021

Hong Kong (香港)

Beijing official signals China-led electoral reforms for Hong Kong to ensure only ‘patriots’ hold power
Hong Kong Free Press, February 22, 2021

Related:
北京定調愛國者 民主黨指工作不變 支聯會:咬緊牙筋做堅持的事 (Beijing set to admit only “patriots” to Hong Kong legislature; Democratic Party: We will not no change our work; Hong Kong Alliance: We must stand our ground)
HK01, February 22, 2021

林鄭月娥:愛國者治港是「很低的標準」 (Carrie Lam: Patriots to rule Hong Kong is “a very low standard”)
Ming Pao, February 22, 2021

12 charged with rioting near PolyU campus in 2019; 15 others acquitted over National Day protest charges
Hong Kong Free Press, February 22, 2021

Hong Kong protests: two merchants first to plead guilty to rioting over Yuen Long MTR attack
South China Morning Post, February 22, 2021

Related:
【721白衣人暴動案】 持藤條木棍襲擊乘客至嚴重骨折 兩白衣人認罪 港鐵閉路電視、市民拍攝片成入罪關鍵 (7.21 Yuen Long Riot: Passengers suffer bone fracture from rioters' whips and rattan sticks; MTR and passengers' phone footage is key evidence)
CitizenNews, February 22, 2021

中国旅美民运人士发起“新黄雀行动” 援助香港流亡者 (U.S.-based Chinese democratic activists launch “New Operation Yellowbird” to assist Hong Kong exiles)
Radio Free Asia, February 19, 2021

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China Hijacked an NSA Hacking Tool in 2014—and Used It for Years
Wired, February 22, 2021

研究称中国黑客利用美国代码进行网络攻击 (Research shows Chinese hackers use U.S. code to mount cyberattacks)
Voice of America, February 23, 2021

Related:
The Story of Jian – How APT31 Stole and Used an Unknown Equation Group 0-Day
Check Point Research, February 22, 2021

China Censors the Internet. So Why Doesn’t Russia?
中国建起了“防火长城”,俄罗斯为什么不这么做?

The New York Times, February 22, 2021

被指用中国技术和服务器 翻墙到这里聊天当心隔墙有耳 (Clubhouse is shown to be using Chinese technology and servers; experts warn against surveillance)
Radio France Internationale, February 21, 2021

Commentary (评论)

China Is Preparing for Another Olympics in Beijing, Like It or Not
面临抵制冬奥呼声,中国人权问题可能改善吗?

The New York Times, February 22, 2021

中國搞「戰狼外交」是為了回應民族主義嗎?資料顯示因果關係是反過來的 (Is Wolf Warrior Diplomacy a government response to popular nationalistic sentiment? Evidence shows the opposite)
Voicettank, February 22, 2021