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.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Politics, law, and the case against Pu Zhiqiang
China Digital Times, December 16, 2015
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2015/12/189282/

Related:
百人围观浦案遭大抓捕 20人仍在押或失联 (Many of the over 100 citizens trying to observe Pu Zhiqiang's trial taken away by police, 20 still detained or not heard from)
Radio Free Asia, December 16, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/xl1-12162015103320.html

Pu Zhiqiang Trial: Photos of supporters outside Beijing Municipal No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court
Human Rights in China, December 14, 2015
http://www.hrichina.org/en/citizens-square/pu-zhiqiang-trial-photos-supporters-outside-beijing-municipal-no-2-intermediate

Access to Information (信息公开)

China tightens rules on maps amid territorial disputes
Reuters, December 16, 2015
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-maps-idUSKBN0TZ1AR20151216

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Mass layoffs in China’s coal country threaten unrest
The New York Times, December 17, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/17/world/asia/china-coal-mining-economy.html

Thousands protest, blockade waste plant construction in China's Guangdong
广东数千人游行打砸工地 抗议当局强建垃圾焚烧厂
Radio Free Asia, December 16, 2015
EN: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/plant-12162015105743.html
CH: http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/huanjing/xl2-12162015103402.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Amid China's crackdown, securities reform quietly gathers pace
Bloomberg, December 16, 2015
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-12-16/amid-china-s-crackdown-securities-reform-quietly-gathers-pace

UK criticizes “unacceptable” treatment of diplomats at China trial of human rights lawyer
The Guardian, December 17, 2015
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/17/uk-criticises-unacceptable-treatment-of-diplomats-at-china-trial-of-human-rights-lawyer

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

U.S. and WTO partners announce final agreement on landmark expansion of information technology agreement
Office of the United State Trade Representative, December 2015
https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2015/december/US-WTO-Partners-Announce-Final-Agreement-on-Expansion-ITA

Related:
Joint statement by trade ministers of China and U.S. on the expansion of WTO information technology agreement
Office of the United State Trade Representative, December 2015
https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2015/december/joint-statement-trade-ministers

Global Internet Governance 2.0?
China Media Project, December 16, 2015
http://cmp.hku.hk/2015/12/16/39508/

China touts its Great Firewall in push for Internet control
Wall Street Journal, December 16, 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/china-touts-its-great-firewall-in-push-for-internet-control-1450251090

Double standards: China’s push to develop internet for economic gain tempered by strict censorship
South China Morning Post, December 16, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1891841/double-standards-chinas-push-develop-internet-economic

At U.N., China tries to influence fight over Internet control
The New York Times, December 17, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/17/technology/china-wins-battle-with-un-over-word-in-internet-control-document.html

Related:
强调网络主权 有悖于互联网理念? (Does the emphasis on “cyber sovereignty” contradict the concept of the Internet?)
Deutsche Welle, December 16, 2015
http://www.dw.com/zh/强调网络主权-有悖于互联网理念/a-18921056

Xi, Xiaomi and the censorship game: Foreign visitors at World Internet Conference in China given free smartphones and cheat codes to access blocked websites
South China Morning Post, December 16, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/tech/innovation/article/1891842/xi-xiaomi-and-censorship-game-foreign-visitors-world-internet

Hong Kong (香港)

Fears for Hong Kong's press freedom follow Alibaba's purchase of the South China Morning Post
Global Voices, December 16, 2015
https://globalvoices.org/2015/12/16/fears-for-hong-kongs-press-freedom-follow-alibabas-purchase-of-the-south-china-morning-post/

Related:
Alibaba’s Jack Ma vows to defend South China Morning Post’s independence
The Wall Street Journal, December 15, 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/jack-ma-defends-alibaba-purchase-of-south-china-morning-post-1450238220

Groups rally against “Internet Article 23” as lawmakers continue copyright bill debate
Hong Kong Free Press, December 16, 2015
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2015/12/16/groups-rally-against-internet-article-23-as-lawmakers-continue-copyright-bill-debate/

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

Suspect in Xinjiang mine attack spoke of jihad, Chinese news reports say
The New York Times, December 17, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/17/world/asia/xinjiang-attack-china-terrorism.html

Opinion and Editorial (观点和社论)

Can an Alibaba “Morning Post” aid China’s image overseas?
China File, December 15, 2015
https://www.chinafile.com/conversation/can-alibaba-morning-post-aid-chinas-image-overseas

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China's plainclothes officers a force against dissent
Associated Press, December 15, 2015
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_PLAINCLOTHES_POLITICS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-12-15-05-49-52

Related:
中国频为要犯减刑 被指为削减浦案影响 (Are authorities using sentence reduction in major cases to eclipse impact of Pu Zhiqiang prosecution?)
Radio Free Asia, December 15, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/xl1-12152015101200.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

China, Egypt imprison record numbers of journalists
中国、埃及关押新闻工作者人数创记录
Committee to Protect Journalists, December 15, 2015
EN:https://www.cpj.org/reports/2015/12/china-egypt-imprison-record-numbers-of-journalists-jail.php
CH:https://www.cpj.org/reports/prison_census2015-chinese.pdf

The CCP’s “positive energy” obsession
China Media Project, December 15, 2015
http://cmp.hku.hk/2015/12/15/39487/

Chinese military threatens BBC reporter flying over disputed South China Sea islands
The Independent, December 15, 2015
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/chinese-military-threatens-bbc-reporter-flying-over-disputed-south-china-sea-islands-a6773951.html

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Second interview with the Wenzhou pastor: After the demolition comes the “transformations”
China Change, December 15, 2015
http://chinachange.org/2015/12/15/second-interview-with-the-wenzhou-pastor-after-the-demolition-comes-the-transformations/

Government Accountability (政府问责)

中国82岁作家指称警方酷刑折磨 (82-year old Chinese writer claims to have been tortured by police)
Voice of America, December 15, 2015
http://www.voachinese.com/content/voa-news-tie-liu-torture-20151215/3103515.html

Corruption behind accidents deserve harsher penalties: authority
Xinhua, December 15, 2015
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-12/15/c_134920095.htm

China military says “pathogen” of corruption persists in ranks
Reuters, December 15, 2015
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-corruption-military-idUSKBN0TZ0F120151216

Northern exposure: China names and shames provinces for fudging GDP
Wall Street Journal, December 15, 2015
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2015/12/15/northern-exposure-china-names-and-shames-provinces-for-fudging-gdp/

Chinese refugee arrested in Thailand, repatriation feared likely
Radio Free Asia, December 15, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/china-thailand-12152015164024.html

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

世界互联网大会:“保护外企权益 尊重网络主权” (World Internet Conference in China: “Protect foreign corporations’ rights, demand respect for cyber-sovereignty”)
Deutsche Welle, December 16, 2015
http://www.dw.com/zh/世界互联网大会保护外企权益-尊重网络主权/a-18920140

Related:
中国网络管治两极:催谷经济引擎 严控信息流动 (The two poles of China’s Internet governance: Boosting economic engine while blocking information flow)
South China Morning Post, December 16, 2015
http://www.nanzao.com/sc/national/151a9bd61364e56/zhong-guo-wang-luo-guan-zhi-liang-ji-cui-gu-jingji-yin-qing-yan-kong-xin-xi-liu-dong

Xi Defends China's Great Firewall in Push for “Cybersovereignty”
Bloomberg, December 16, 2015
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-12-16/china-s-xi-defends-web-controls-in-call-for-cybersovereignty-

China's 2nd World Internet Conference will focus on “rule of law”, but not free expression
Global Voices, December 15, 2015
https://advox.globalvoices.org/2015/12/15/chinas-2nd-world-internet-conference-will-focus-on-rule-of-law-but-not-free-expression/

Nonprofits want boycott of Chinese Internet summit
The Hill, December 14, 2015
http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/263112-nonprofits-want-foreigners-to-boycott-chinese-internet-summit

The Chinese didn’t just hack federal employees. Journalists were swept up in the massive breach, too.
The Washington Post, December 14, 2015
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/federal-eye/wp/2015/12/14/the-chinese-didnt-just-hack-federal-employees-journalists-were-swept-up-in-the-massive-breach-too/

Top of the world: 5 facts about China, the web and its global-leading 668 million online users
South China Morning Post, December 16, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/tech/article/1891736/top-world-5-facts-about-china-web-and-its-global-leading-668-million-online

Hong Kong (香港)

人类发展指数排名:香港12 中国90 (United Nations Human Development Report 2015: Hong Kong ranks 12th, China 90th)
Radio France Internationale, December 15, 2015
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20151215-人类发展指数排名:香港12-中国90

Related:
Human Development Report 2015
United Nations Development Programme
http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/2015_human_development_report.pdf

Hong Kong police hunt “Black Bloc”: Anarchist gang blamed for Legco bin blast as officers throng complex before bill debate
South China Morning Post, December 16, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1891796/hong-kong-police-hunt-black-bloc-anarchist-gang-blamed

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

China urges U.S. cooperation to battle terrorism financing
Reuters, December 15, 2015
http://www.reuters.com/article/uk-china-usa-terrorism-idUSKBN0TY1GT20151215

China on IS threat: Could government launch anti-terrorism cooperative in absence of global unified force?
South China Morning Post, December 16, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/1891720/shanghai-cooperation-organisation-forge-closer-economic

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Journalists, diplomats harassed outside rights lawyer’s trial
China Digital Times, December 14, 2015
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2015/12/189149/

Related:
何兵:“七条微博案”的法律分析 (China University of Political Science and Law professor He Bin: Analysis of the case of “7 weibo posts”)
China Digital Times, December 15, 2015
https://chinadigitaltimes.net/chinese/2015/12/何兵:七条微博案的法律分析/

浦案审判考验宪法承诺 (Pu Zhiqiang’s trial to test constitutional promises)
Financial Times, December 15, 2015
http://www.ftchinese.com/story/001065287

Pu Zhiqiang Trial: Photos of Supporters outside Beijing Municipal No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court
Human Rights in China, December 14, 2015
http://www.hrichina.org/en/citizens-square/pu-zhiqiang-trial-photos-supporters-outside-beijing-municipal-no-2-intermediate

Nursing mother denied bail amid labor crackdown in China's Guangdong
Radio Free Asia, December 14, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/bail-12142015105708.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

Not shared by all? China blocks New York Times from World Internet Conference
Hong Kong Free Press
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2015/12/15/not-shared-by-all-china-blocks-new-york-times-from-world-internet-conference/

Related:
无国界记者组织呼吁抵制中国的世界互联网大会 (Reporters Without Borders calls for boycotting China's World Internet Conference)
Radio Free Asia, December 14, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/hc-12142015110515.html

By buying Hong Kong paper, Alibaba seeks to polish China’s image
The New York Times, December 14, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/14/world/asia/alibaba-south-china-morning-post-hong-kong.html

Related:
R.I.P. SCMP?
China File, December 15, 2015
http://www.chinafile.com/reporting-opinion/media/rip-scmp

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

艾未未:要争取权利 就要有人牺牲 (Ai Weiwei: To fight for rights will require some to make sacrifices)
South China Morning Post, December 15, 2015
http://www.nanzao.com/sc/national/1519f9449047095/ai-wei-wei-yao-zheng-qu-quan-li-jiu-yao-you-ren-xi-sheng

Government Accountability (政府问责)

U.S. politicians attack “nightmare” of Xi Jinping's China
The Guardian, December 15, 2015
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/15/us-politicians-attack-nightmare-xi-jinping-china-pu-zhiqiang

Hong Kong (香港)

投訴警察課:朱經緯涉毆打「證明屬實」 (Complaints against police officers: Ex-Divisional Commander of Police Franklin Chu's suspected beatings of civilians during Umbrella Movement “confirmed to be true”)
Mingpao, December 14, 2015
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20151214/s00001/1450096451632