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, April 30, 2021

Xinjiang (新疆)

Xinjiang Cotton and the Shift in China’s Censorship Approach
The Diplomat, April 29, 2021

Related:
China Expands Disinformation Campaign to Undermine International Xinjiang Outcry
Radio Free Asia, April 29, 2021

Access to Justice (司法公正)

CHRD Follow-Up Communiqué Alleging Torture or Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment of former Chinese lawyer Ding Jiaxi, activists Xu Zhiyong, Li Qiaochu, and lawyer Chang Weiping during periods of their Enforced Disappearance and Arbitrary Detention in reprisals against them for Exercising their Freedom of Expression, Peaceful Assembly and Association
Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 30, 2021

常玮平案:陕西省检察院拒绝受理刑讯逼供指控(Case of Shaanxi human rights lawyer Chang Weiping: Procuratorate refuses to accept case filing alleging torture)
Radio France Internationale, April 29, 2021

央视澳籍主播成蕾戴眼罩、手铐与领事视讯 曝光遭警告要求家人封口(Blindfolded and handcuffed, former CCTV Australian anchor Cheng Lei tells Australia's ambassador in video meeting authorities warned her family from speaking out)
Radio Free Asia, April 30, 2021

Related:
Australian mother marks nine months in Chinese prison as curious online posts emerge
ABC News (Australia), April 29, 2021

Taiwan (台湾)

台外长:中共没有统治台湾一天,如若犯台 台湾将战斗到底(Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs: CPC never rules Taiwan for one day. If it invades, Taiwan will fight to the end)
Voice of America, April 30, 2021

Access to Information (公众知情权)

China's Ruling Party Takes More Direct Control of Colleges, Universities
Radio Free Asia, April 30, 2021

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Feminists thwarting China's population goals
Politico, April 29, 2021

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Cracks appear in China's New Silk Road
Deutsche Welle, April 30, 2021

Related:
Chinese workers allege forced labor, abuses in Xi’s ‘Belt and Road’ program
The Washington Post, April 30, 2021

Hong Kong (香港)

Judges in Hong Kong’s first national security law trial rule that ‘great harm to society’ must be proven to secure terrorism conviction
South China Morning Post, April 29, 2021

Hong Kong’s High Court unanimously rejects appeal against Occupy convictions by Benny Tai, eight others
South China Morning Post, April 30, 2021

Nine Hong Kong pro-democracy activists who fled city by boat face new charge of perverting justice
Hong Kong Free Press, April 30, 2021

Hong Kong’s Joshua Wong and trio of fellow activists plead guilty to partaking in banned Tiananmen Massacre vigil
Hong Kong Free Press, April 30, 2021

Planned Hong Kong elections rule for delaying specific Legislative Council contests dropped in government U-turn
South China Morning Post, April 30, 2021

Deja vu on half-baked bill
The Standard, April 30, 2021

Related:
Lau voices fears new law will slam BNO door shut
The Standard, April 30, 2021

Rights groups slam Hong Kong lawmaker for ‘biased, racist and xenophobic remarks’ on refugees
Hong Kong Free Press, April 30, 2021

Security law 'sometimes necessary'
The Standard, April 30, 2021

Related:
警國安處拘兩人與理大生藏械案有關 28歲男涉煽動分裂國家(Police national security department arrests two for possession of firearms, one suspected of secession)
Ming Pao, April 30, 2021

區議員黃文萱宣佈退出公民黨兼不宣誓:做到最後一刻(Leticia Wong Man Huen quits Civic Party, refuses loyalty oath, and resigns as Shatin district councilor)
inmedia.hk, April 30, 2021

Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK axes more content – documentary on newspapers CitizenNews and HKFP scrapped after month-long vetting
Hong Kong Free Press, April 30, 2021

Hong Kong’s top university cuts ties with student union over national security ‘legal risk’
Hong Kong Free Press, April 30, 2021

Hong Kong visual arts teacher facing disciplinary action over ‘inappropriate’ lopolitical cartoons shared online
South China Morning Post, April 30, 2021

Related:
Two more Hong Kong teachers deregistered for life, one for ‘defaming the nation’ and the other for a protest-related crime
South China Morning Post, April 30, 2021

US cartoonist accuses Hong Kong publisher of theft over ‘McInvasion’ artwork in liberal studies textbook
Hong Kong Free Press, April 30, 2021

Majority of Hong Kong youth want to leave the city: survey
Apple Daily, April 29, 2021

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China summons Internet firms to warn over unfair competition
Agence France-Presse, April 29, 2021

Related:
Tencent Music: antitrust blitz introduces ominous theme
Financial Times, April 30, 2021

China’s Paper Tiger Surveillance State
The Diplomat, April 30, 2021

Chinese regulators tell fintech groups to fix ‘problems’
中国监管机构要求金融科技公司“整改”

Financial Times, April 30, 2021

Commentary (评论)

Biden Calls for U.S. to Enter a New Superpower Struggle
The New York Times, April 30, 2021