ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Chinese hackers attack University of Virginia email, cause IT shutdown
Examiner.com, August 14, 2015
http://www.examiner.com/article/chinese-hackers-attack-university-of-virginia-email-cause-it-shutdown

Hong Kong (香港)

C.Y. Leung spends birthday in mainland China amid protests in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Free Press, August 13, 2015
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2015/08/13/cy-leung-spends-birthday-in-mainland-china-amid-protests-in-hong-kong/

Video: Student leader Joshua Wong shares Occupy experience at Venice summit
Hong Kong Free Press, August 13, 2015
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2015/08/13/video-student-leader-joshua-wong-shares-occupy-experience-at-venice-summit/

Opinion and Editorial (观点和社论)

天津爆炸击碎了中国中产阶级的“正常国家幻觉” (The Tianjin explosion has shattered the Chinese middle class’s "illusion of a normal country")
Qiangwailou, August 17, 2015
http://www.letscorp.net/archives/93700

He Xiaoxin: How far can I go? And how much can I do?
China Digital Times, August 15, 2015
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2015/08/he-xiaoxin-how-far-can-i-go-and-how-much-can-i-do/

观察：谁在主导天津大爆炸的调查方向 (Observation: Who is maneuvering direction of Tianjin explosion investigation)
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 17, 2015
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/china/2015/08/150817_tianjin_blast_investigation_direction

You’ve got candles, I’ve got a whip
China Change, August 16, 2015
http://chinachange.org/2015/08/16/youve-got-candles-ive-got-a-whip/

点评中国：天津爆炸——一个时代的终结 (China commentary: Tianjin explosion—The end of an era)
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 17, 2015
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/focus_on_china/2015/08/150817_cr_tianjin_blast_ending_an-era

Authorities must act now to prevent future deadly disasters
South China Morning Post, August 15, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1849707/authorities-must-act-now-prevent-future-deadly-disasters

生育政策改革的“前生后世” (The past and the future of birth control policy)
People's Daily, August 17, 2015
http://health.people.com.cn/n/2015/0817/c398004-27472759.html

中国传媒大学女生被同学杀害案的反思——让男孩子尊重异性的性别教育太缺乏了 (Reflections on China Media University female student killed by her classmate—gender education in China that gets young men to respect the opposite sex is lacking)
China Youth Daily, August 17, 2015
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/14/in-china-the-single-ladies-push-back/

In China, single women live by their own rules
The New York Times, August 14, 2015
http://zqb.cyol.com/html/2015-08/16/nw.D110000zgqnb_20150816_3-04.htm

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China turns down parole bid from jailed Nobel Peace Laureate
Radio Free Asia, August 13, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/parole-08132015111306.html

Related:
Chinese human rights activist Liu Xiaobo receives permission for family visit in prison
Hong Kong Free Press, August 13, 2015
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2015/08/13/chinese-human-rights-activist-liu-xiaobo-receives-permission-for-family-visit-in-prison/

定远老妇不堪家暴杀死丈夫村民求轻判 (Elderly woman from Dingyuan kills husband in sleep after 40 years of domestic abuse, son and villagers petition for lenient sentence)
Anhui Financial Network, August 14, 2015
http://www.ahcaijing.com/html/2015/anhui_0814/7895.html

女子频遭家暴出走“再婚” 因犯重婚罪被判处拘役5个月 (Woman who fled frequent domestic abuse to remarry is detained for 5 months for violating bigamy laws)
Daqingwang, August 13, 2015
http://heilongjiang.dbw.cn/system/2015/08/13/056746710.shtml

Access to Information (信息公开)

天津8.12大爆炸55死701傷 津警：網傳只峰背景是謠言 (Tianjin explosion: 55 dead, 701 injured, Tianjin police deny info that Ruihai Int’l Logistics’ legal representative Zhi Feng is son of Tianjin vice mayor)
South China Morning Post, August 14, 2015
http://www.nanzao.com/tc/national/14f2a168c945061/tian-jin-8-12-da-bao-zha-50-si-701-shang-wu-fa-que-ding-wei-hua-pin-zhong-lei-shu-liang

Related:
Minitrue: media directives on Tianjin port explosions
China Digital Times, August 13, 2015
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2015/08/minitrue-explosions-in-tanggu-open-economic-zone-tianjin/

Inferno: The new rules of disaster management in authoritarian countries
The Economist, August 15, 2015
http://www.economist.com/news/china/21660982-new-rules-disaster-management-authoritarian-countries-inferno-tianjin

The Tianjin explosion, as chronicled on Chinese social media
The Diplomat, August 13, 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/08/the-tianjin-explosion-as-chronicled-on-chinese-social-media/

Netizen voices: volunteer 50 cent standards slipping
China Digital Times, August 13, 2015
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2015/08/netizen-voices-declining-standards-in-volunteer-fifty-centism/

Mapping the invisible scourge
The Economist, August 15, 2015
http://www.economist.com/news/china/21661053-new-study-suggests-air-pollution-even-worse-thought-mapping-invisible-scourge

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

被抓律师今安在，有心民众盼回家 (Rights defenders call for vocal support from citizens inside china for lawyers’ release)
Voice of America, August 14, 2015
http://www.voachinese.com/content/china-lawyers-20150813/2916915.html

Related:
示威者聚集中国驻美使馆，抗议镇压维权律师 (Demonstrators gather at Chinese embassy in U.S. to protest crackdown on rights lawyers)
Voice of America, August 14, 2015
http://www.voachinese.com/media/video/chinese-lawyers-20150814/2917620.html

Courageous Voices 向强权说“不！”
Human Rights in China, August 13, 2015
EN: http://www.hrichina.org/en/courageous-voices
CH: http://www.hrichina.org/chs/xiang-qiang-quan-shuo-bu

Artist Ai Weiwei says China at “critical point”
Reuters, August 13, 2015
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/13/us-china-artist-germany-idUSKCN0QI1SL20150813

Dismay as church crosses removed in China
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 13, 2015
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-33898635

Related:
Hong Kong’s Cardinal John Tong issues “urgent appeal” against China cross removals
Hong Kong Free Press, August 13, 2015
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2015/08/13/hong-kongs-cardinal-john-tong-issues-urgent-appeal-against-china-cross-removals/

NGOs, volunteer groups take pollution fight into their own hands
Caixin, August 13, 2015
http://english.caixin.com/2015-08-13/100839309.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Obama is set to discuss rights issues with China
The New York Times, August 14, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/14/world/asia/obama-is-set-to-discuss-rights-issues-with-china.html

Related:
On-the-record briefing on the 19th U.S.-China Human Rights Dialogue
U.S. Department of State, August 13, 2015
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2015/08/246092.htm

HRIC Commentary: U.S.–China Human Rights Dialogue
Human Rights in China, August 12, 2015
http://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/statement/hric-commentary-us-china-human-rights-dialogue

中共中央印发《中国共产党巡视工作条例》 (CPC issues CPC Inspection Work Regulations)
Legal Daily, August 14, 2015
http://epaper.legaldaily.com.cn/fzrb/content/20150814/Articel01001GN.htm

几乎所有冤案都有刑讯逼供——《财经》平冤系列报道之十 (Almost all wrongly decided cases involve torture: Caijing Righting Injustices Report Series No. 10)
Caijing Magazine, August 13, 2015
http://yuanchuang.caijing.com.cn/2015/0813/3946668.shtml

Former provincial official expelled from CPC
China Daily, August 14, 2015
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2015-08/14/content_21595968.htm

Maoming Deputy Party Chief detained on graft allegations
Caixin, August 13, 2015
http://english.caixin.com/2015-08-13/100839317.html

中国原国家旅游局副局长霍克被双开 (Huo Ke, China's former deputy director of tourism, expelled from Party for corruption)
Radio Free Asia, August 13, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/zhengzhi/hc1-08132015140012.html

最高检依法决定对徐建一立案侦查 (SPP decides to prosecute [former FAW Corp chairman and NPC member] Xu Jianyi)
Legal Daily, August 14, 2015
http://epaper.legaldaily.com.cn/fzrb/content/20150814/Articel01007GN.htm

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

OK Supercomputer: China’s Tianhe-1A shut down after Tianjin blast
The Wall Street Journal, August 14, 2015
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2015/08/14/ok-supercomputer-chinas-tianhe-1a-shut-down-after-tianjin-blast/

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong convicts 2 in 2014 cleaver attack on journalist
The New York Times, August 13, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/14/world/asia/hong-kong-convicts-2-in-2014-cleaver-attack-on-journalist.html

National Security and Counterterrorism (国家安全和反恐)

太原南站发生砍人事件？警方：系反恐演习 (Was there a knife attack at Shanxi Taiyuan south train station? Police: No—it was counterterrorism training)
Legal Daily, August 13, 2014
http://society.people.com.cn/n/2015/0814/c229589-27464890.html

China to intensify public security patrols
China Daily, August 13, 2015
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2015-08/13/content_21592672.htm

Opinion and Editorial (观点和社论)

Hong Kong universities must uphold the absolute principle of academic freedom
South China Morning Post, August13, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1848942/hong-kong-universities-must-uphold-absolute-principle

Is China on the cusp of change?
The Diplomat, August 14, 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/08/is-china-on-the-cusp-of-change/

Four questions Chinese people want answered after deadly Tianjin blast
Tea Leaf Nation, August 13, 2015
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/08/13/four-questions-chinese-people-want-answered-after-deadly-blast-tianjin-citizen-media/

Access to Justice (司法公正)

北京法院受理家事案件数量逐年上升 矛盾点集中房产 (Family law caseload for Beijing courts Increases year on year, conflicts center upon property)
Legal Daily, August 12, 2015
http://www.chinanews.com/sh/2015/08-12/7462353.shtml

Chinese woman unable to visit husband in jail as “marriage certificate does not prove marriage”
South China Morning Post, August 12, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/1848891/chinese-woman-unable-visit-husband-jail-marriage-certificate-does

Access to Information (信息公开)

CNN, local Chinese media struggle to report on Tianjin explosion
Hong Kong Free Press, August 13, 2015
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2015/08/13/cnn-local-chinese-media-struggle-to-report-on-tianjin-explosion/

Related:
Emotions run high at Chinese hospital after blasts
Cable News Network, August 12, 2015
http://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2015/08/12/china-explosion-hospital-ripley.cnn

內地微博流傳一張照片聲稱是天津爆炸傷者名單 (Weibo circulates purported list of casualties from Tianjin explosion)
Radio Television Hong Kong, August 13, 2015
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1204870-20150813.htm

Industrial accidents in China continue to exact high toll in lives and property
South China Morning Post, August 13, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/1849194/industrial-accidents-china-continue-exact-high-toll-lives-and

高瑜案二审将至 当局不准律师披露案情 (Gao Yu’s second instance trial nears, authorities forbid lawyer to disclose information)
Radio Free Asia, August 12, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql1-08122015111655.html/

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Teasing out Ai Weiwei’s endgame, after China lifts a travel ban
The New York Times, August 12, 2015
http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/12/teasing-out-ai-weiweis-endgame-after-china-lifts-a-travel-ban/

Chinese lawyers, activists call for a rights dialogue with teeth
Radio Free Asia, August 12, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/dialogue-08122015124849.html

Related:
HRIC Commentary: U.S.–China Human Rights Dialogue
Human Rights in China, August 12, 2015
http://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/statement/hric-commentary-us-china-human-rights-dialogue

Clampdown amid questions over death of Tibetan Monk in custody
Radio Free Asia, August 12, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/clampdown-08122015152100.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

淮南兑现拖欠15年国家赔偿金 当事人拒收并要求追责 (Huainan offers to pay 15-year overdue state compensation with interest to come, party involved wants lump-sum and seeks accountability for wrongful conviction)
Anhui Online, August 13, 2015
http://ah.anhuinews.com/system/2015/08/13/006911932.shtml

全国人大常委会委员：贪贿犯罪最高刑罚死刑未取消 (NPC Standing Committee Member: Death as supreme punishment for corruption will not be abolished)
China News (original not found), August 12, 2015
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2015/08-12/7461806.shtml

Excerpts from report:
“四中全会决定特别提出，要贯彻落实总体国家安全观，加快国家安全法治建设，抓紧出台一批急需法律，构建国家安全法律制度体系，已经制定国家安全法、反间谍法，正在审议反恐怖主义法、境外非政府组织管理法、网络安全法等。” "Fourth plenum agreed on establishing a comprehensive national security legal framework, accelerating implementation of governance in accordance with the National Security Law, introducing urgently needed laws, and establishing an institutional system of National Security Law. The National Security Law and Counter-Espionage Law are already enacted, and the Counter-Terrorism Law, the FNGO Law and the Cybersecurity Law (among others) are now being deliberated upon."

“反家庭暴力法是社会法领域里面大家比较关注的一部法律，这部法律如果没有什么变数的话准备在八月份的常委会进行初审。” "The Anti-Domestic Violence Law is one of the social laws which everyone is focusing on, if there are no changes, then expect that this law will undergo its first deliberation in August."

外媒报道中国强征农地暴力冲突事件 (Foreign media report violent conflicts arising from China’s forced land requisition)
Radio Free Asia, August 12, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/xql-08122015111053.html/

China investigates former tourism official for corruption, leaking state secrets
Reuters, August 12, 2015
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/12/us-china-corruption-idUSKCN0QH0FA20150812

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

第二批139家网警执法账号集中上线, 网上公开巡查执法以来已警示万余人次 (Second batch of 139 Internet police law enforcement accounts go online, more than 10,000 people already have been given warnings since inception of open online patrol and law enforcement)
Legal Daily, August 13, 2015
http://epaper.legaldaily.com.cn/fzrb/content/20150813/Articel01004GN.htm

China cybersecurity fears prompt business groups to press Obama: Ahead of Xi Jinping’s visit, U.S. firms say Beijing’s policies are hurting their ability to operate in China”
Wall Street Journal, August 12, 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/business-tech-groups-press-obama-on-china-competition-concerns-1439361855

Hong Kong (香港)

Pro-Cantonese groups concerned over China Liaison Office’s presence at school ceremony
Hong Kong Free Press, August 13, 2015
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2015/08/13/pro-cantonese-groups-concerned-over-china-liaison-offices-presence-at-school-ceremony/

劉進圖案陪審團裁定2被告全部罪名成立 (Assault of ex Mingpao chief editor Kevin Lau: Jury clears 2 defendants of all charges)
Radio Television Hong Kong, August 13, 2015
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1204882-20150813.htm

Related:
劉進圖相信遇襲案裁決公正　冀警方再接再厲 (Assault of ex Mingpao chief editor Kevin Lau: Lau sees conviction as fair, hopes police will continue investigation)
Radio Television Hong Kong, August 13, 2015
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1204906-20150813.htm

National Security and Counterterrorism (国家安全和反恐)

警方辟谣北京南站砍人事件:系大连反恐演练视频 (Police deny rumors of Beijing South Railway Station knife attack: Footage allegedly showing incident was actually from Dalian counterterrorism exercise)
People’s Daily Online, August 13, 2015
http://legal.people.com.cn/n/2015/0813/c42510-27457504.html

Opinion and Editorial (观点和社论)

China’s political firewall—Mass arrest of lawyers
The Diplomat, August 12, 2015
http://thediplomat.com/2015/08/chinas-political-firewall-mass-arrest-of-lawyers/

Related:
A letter of protest against China’s arrest of rights lawyers, to be read at a rally in front of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., and then formally delivered
China Change, August 13, 2015
http://chinachange.org/2015/08/12/a-letter-of-protest-against-chinas-arrest-of-rights-lawyers-to-be-read-at-a-rally-in-front-of-the-chinese-embassy-in-washington-d-c-and-then-formally-delivered/

Mass suppression of lawyers reveals true nature of Xi’s “rule by law”
对维权律师的大规模镇压揭示了习近平“依法治国”的真实面目
Human Rights in China, July 16, 2015
EN: http://www.hrichina.org/en/mass-crackdown-chinese-lawyers-and-defenders
CH: http://hrichina.org/chs/zhong-guo-da-gui-mo-zhen-ya-wei-quan-lu-shi-he-huo-yue-ren-shi

Over 50 world-wide civil society organizations signed joint statement in support of the arrested lawyers in China
全球超过50个民间团体联署声援被拘捕中国律师
China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group, August 13, 2015
EN: http://www.chrlawyers.hk/en/content/press-releaseover-50-world-wide-civil-society-organizations-signed-joint-statement-support
CH: http://www.chrlawyers.hk/zh-hans/content/新闻稿全球超过50个民间团体联署声援被拘捕中国律师

Q&A: How to cope with perils of being a Chinese news assistant for foreign media
Committee to Protect Journalists, August 11, 2015
https://cpj.org/blog/2015/08/qa-how-to-cope-with-perils-of-being-a-chinese-news.php

A way out of Hong Kong's polarised politics is possible
The South China Morning Post, August 12, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1848853/way-out-hong-kongs-polarised-politics-possible

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Chinese police rule suicide in case of young mother found with seven stab wounds
South China Morning Post, August 12, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/1848939/chinese-police-rule-suicide-case-young-mother-found-seven-stab

Chinese activist free after post-release “disappearance”
李化平曝被戴手铐绑架出狱 未来将安心写作
Radio Free Asia, August 11, 2015
EN: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/release-08112015132840.html
CH: http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql1-08112015105242.html

余文生控告北京警方虐待及变相酷刑 (Yu Wensheng files complaint against Beijing police for abuse and torture)
Radio Free Asia, August 11, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/hc-08112015114008.html

锋锐律师案王全璋以寻衅滋事、煽动颠覆两罪被刑事拘留 (Fengrui law firm case: Wang Quanzhang criminally detained for “picking quarrels and provoking troubles” and “inciting subversion of state power”)
Radio France Internationale, August 11, 2015
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20150811-锋锐律师案王全璋以寻衅滋事、煽动颠覆两罪被刑事拘留

Chinese man, falsely jailed for 20 years for murder, “refused to confess under torture”
South China Morning Post, August 12, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1848850/chinese-man-falsely-jailed-20-years-murder-refused