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.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Swedish activist Peter Dahlin paraded on China state TV for “scripted confession”
The Guardian, January 20, 2016
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/20/swedish-activist-peter-dahlin-paraded-on-china-state-tv-for-scripted-confession

Related:
中国官媒未审先判:瑞典嫌犯“危害国家安全”被抓 (Chinese state media’s verdict without trial: Swedish suspect arrested for “endangering national security”)
Radio Free Asia, January 19, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/junshiwaijiao/jz-01192016105327.html

Police smashes illegal organization jeopardizing China's national security
我国执法部门破获一起危害国家安全案件 彼得等犯罪嫌疑人被依法采取刑事强制措施
Xinhua, January 19, 2016
EN: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-01/19/c_135025088.htm
CH: http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2016-01/19/c_1117827737.htm

[视频] 中国执法部门破获一起危害国家安全案件 ([Video] Chinese police uncover illegal organization jeopardizing China's national security)
CCTV, January 20, 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z-gP7GReBQ

Treatment of foreigners in China a “worrying trend,” E.U. envoy says
The New York Times, January 19, 2016
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/21/world/asia/china-eu-schweisgut.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

China's growth data—can you trust it?
British Broadcasting Corporation, January 19, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-35341869

铜锣湾书店事件疑虑未消 广电总局宣布扶植千家实体书店 (Misgivings about Causeway Bay bookstore incident hardly over, China’s media regulatory agency announces it will subsidize 1,000 bookstores)
Radio Free Asia, January 19, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/xl2-01192016103909.html

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Tibet: Village surveillance, grassland degradation, and living Buddha registration
China Digital Times, January 19, 2016
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2016/01/no-end-to-tibet-surveillance-program/

Taking China’s fight against AIDS online
The Diplomat, January 17, 2016
http://thediplomat.com/2016/01/taking-chinas-fight-against-aids-online/

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Taiwan-based “clean-handed rising star” suddenly falls under China’s anti-graft probe after being tipped for higher office
South China Morning Post, January 19, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1903294/taiwan-based-clean-handed-rising-star-suddenly-falls

China to prosecute two former top officials for corruption, including head of Shanghai’s free-trade zone
South China Morning Post, January 19, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1902836/china-prosecute-two-former-top-officials-corruption

China jails former party chief of Xinjiang's capital for graft
Reuters, January 19, 2016
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-corruption-xinjiang-idUSKCN0UY092

Hong Kong (香港)

China accounts for two missing booksellers amid calls for further probes in Hong Kong
Radio Free Asia, January 19, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/booksellers-01192016124739.html

Related:
失踪逾3月泰国声称在查桂民海为何无出境纪录 (Gui Minhai missing for over 3 months, Thai authorities claim they are investigating why there is no record of him leaving the country)
Radio France Internationale, January 20, 2016
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20160120-失踪逾3月泰国声称在查桂民海为何无出境纪录

Hong Kong politicians urge mainland Chinese authorities to “stop keeping everyone in dark” about missing Causeway Bay booksellers
South China Morning Post, January 19, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1903275/hong-kong-politicians-urge-mainland-chinese-authorities

EU, UK, Sweden urge China to disclose information about Hong Kong missing publishers
Hong Kong Free Press, January 20, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/01/20/eu-sweden-urge-china-to-disclose-information-about-hong-kong-missing-publishers/

HKU students to boycott class to demand reform of Council’s structure
Hong Kong Free Press, January 19, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/01/19/hku-students-to-boycott-class-to-demand-reform-of-councils-structure/

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

China fears grow among U.S. businesses
Financial Times, January 20, 2016
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/de8761f4-bf38-11e5-9fdb-87b8d15baec2.html#axzz3xnk7sjWx

Related:
Smog, censorship, antiforeign sentiment: U.S. firms’ China woes
The Wall Street Journal, January 20, 2016
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2016/01/20/smog-censorship-antiforeign-sentiment-u-s-firms-china-woes/

Opinion and Editorial (观点和社论)

Who believes China’s narrative on Hong Kong’s missing bookseller mystery?
South China Morning Post, January 19, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1902805/who-believes-chinas-narrative-hong-kongs-missing-bookseller

Lee Bo’s case highlights grey areas in Hong Kong’s Basic Law on cross-border criminal investigations
South China Morning Post, January 19, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1902834/lee-bos-case-highlights-grey-areas-hong-kongs-basic-law

Q. and A.: Bei Ling on the missing Hong Kong booksellers
The New York Times, January 20, 2016
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/20/world/asia/hong-kong-missing-booksellers.html

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Access to Justice (司法公正)

European, U.S. and Australian lawyers call for China to end rights crackdown
The Guardian, January 18, 2016
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/18/european-us-and-australian-lawyers-call-for-china-to-end-rights-crackdown

Related:
China must end its intimidation and detention of human rights lawyers
The Guardian, January 18, 2016
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/18/china-must-end-its-intimidation-and-detention-of-human-rights-lawyers

Mass crackdown on Chinese lawyers and defenders
中国大规模镇压维权律师和活跃人士
Human Rights in China, January 15, 2016
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

维权律师袁裕来赴台观大选被禁出境 斥当局做法背离依法治国 (Zhejiang Rights lawyer Yuan Yulai, prohibited from leaving mainland to observe Taiwan election, condemns authorities for violating pledge to “rule country by law”)
Radio Free Asia, January 15, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/xl2-01152016101302.html

Members of petitioners group “Rose China” detained
ChinaChange, January 18, 2016
http://chinachange.org/2016/01/18/members-of-petitioners-group-rose-china-detained/

Access to Information (信息公开)

中国官媒强调台湾大选变天并非因为两岸关系 (Chinese state media stresses that changes in Taiwan’s political landscape following the presidential election are not caused by cross-strait relationship)
Radio France Internationale, January 18, 2016
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20160118-中国官媒强调台湾大选变天并非因为两岸关系

国际记者联合会关注中国记者最新受迫害事件 (International Federation of Journalists expresses concern about China’s latest repression of journalists)
Voice of America, January 18, 2016
http://www.voachinese.com/content/voa-news-ifj-concerns-on-recent-situations-of-journalist-20160118/3151111.html

False emissions reporting undermines China's pollution fight
Reuters, January 17, 2016
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-power-emissions-idUSKCN0UV0XS

China's health forum scandal and public mistrust
British Broadcasting Corporation, January 18, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-35340394

法资书店禁书寒风中独市卖中国政治书 (French owned bookstore remains the only seller of Chinese political titles during “banned books chill”)
Radio France Internationale, January 15, 2016
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20160115-法资书店禁书寒风中独市卖中国政治书

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

北京街头市民谈台湾大选议民主 (Citizens in Beijing publicly discuss Taiwan presidential election and democracy)
Voice of America, January 17, 2016
http://www.voachinese.com/content/beijing-taiwan-reaction-20160116/3148922.html

China hands life jail term to petitioner after protest, scuffle
Radio Free Asia, January 15, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/jail-01152016121538.html

NGOs complain to gov't about “false” medical ads on Baidu forums
Caixin, January 15, 2016
http://english.caixin.com/2016-01-15/100900013.html

China publishes “verified living Buddha” list
British Broadcasting Corporation, January 18, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-35342497

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Taiwan’s first female president Tsai Ing-wen warns China after landslide victory
South China Morning Post, January 17, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1901895/taiwans-first-female-president-tsai-ing-wen-warns-china

Related:
After vote, China tells Taiwan to abandon independence "hallucination"
Reuters, January 17, 2016
http://www.reuters.com/article/taiwan-election-idUSKCN0UV02I

Indebted Chinese companies increase pressures on government
The New York Times, January 18, 2016
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/18/business/dealbook/indebted-chinese-companies-increase-pressures-on-government.html

China has done more about pollution than you think (but it must do more)
The Diplomat, January 17, 2016
http://thediplomat.com/2016/01/china-has-done-more-about-pollution-than-you-think-but-it-must-do-more/

China to give illegally born children access to social welfare
The Telegraph, January 15, 2016
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/12101342/China-to-give-illegally-born-children-access-to-social-welfare.html

Calls to improve China’s work safety go unheeded in 2015
China Labor Bulletin, January 18, 2016
http://www.clb.org.hk/en/content/calls-improve-china%E2%80%99s-work-safety-go-unheeded-2015

China charges dozen officials over deadly Shenzhen landslide
深圳滑坡事件十余官员被起诉
The New York Times, January 19, 2016
EN: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/19/world/asia/china-shenzhen-landslide-charges.html
CH: http://cn.nytimes.com/china/20160119/c19shenzhen/

China’s search for dissidents has now expanded to foreign countries
Time, January 19, 2016
http://time.com/4184324/gui-minhai-dissident-search/

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

中国大陆网友对蔡英文当选的讨论被赶到了微信里 (Mainland Chinese netizens’ discussion of Tsai Ing-wen’s election forced to go on Weixin)
Radio France Internationale, January 17, 2016
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20160117-中国大陆网友对蔡英文当选的讨论被赶到了微信里

Why Google quit China—and why it’s heading back
The Atlantic, January 19, 2016
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/01/why-google-quit-china-and-why-its-heading-back/424482/

Hong Kong (香港)

Leung’s Policy Address: 48 Kowtows to Beijing whilst ignoring Hongkongers
Hong Kong Free Press, January 18, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/01/18/leungs-policy-address-48-kowtows-to-beijing-whilst-ignoring-hongkongers/

失踪香港书店老板惊现央视 北京被指欲盖弥彰 (Missing HK bookshop owner suddenly appears on CCTV, Beijing is criticized as “the one who excuses himself accuses himself”)
Radio France Internationale, January 18, 2016
中国/20160118-失踪香港书店老板惊现央视-北京被指欲盖弥彰

Related:
Missing Hong Kong publisher Gui Minhai paraded on China TV
British Broadcasting Corporation, January 18, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-35338484

Daughter of Hong Kong bookseller dismisses China state TV “confession”
The Guardian, January 18, 2016
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/18/daughter-of-hong-kong-bookseller-dismisses-china-state-tv-confession

Causeway Bay bookseller’s changing undershirt prompts questions online about his appearance on state television
South China Morning Post, January 18, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1902731/causeway-bay-booksellers-changing-undershirt-prompts

Seven banned books: Published in Hong Kong, censored in China
Hong Kong Free Press, January 17, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/01/17/seven-banned-books-published-in-hong-kong-censored-in-china/

Chinese police confirm missing bookseller Lee Bo is in mainland, 17 days after HK enquiry
Hong Kong Free Press, January 19, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/01/19/breaking-chinese-police-confirm-missing-bookseller-lee-bo-is-in-mainland-17-days-after-hk-enquiry/

Related:
【書店5人失蹤】程翔:李波離境方式違一國兩制 指家書必經審校排演 (Journalist Ching Cheong on disappearance of 5 booksellers: Circumstances of Lee Bo crossing the border violates One Country Two Systems, his letter home must have been edited and practiced)
Mingpao, January 19, 2016
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20160119/s00001/1453169574383

Taiwan elections “unlikely to affect Hong Kong-mainland relations”
South China Morning Post, January 16, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1901871/taiwan-elections-unlikely-affect-hong-kong-mainland

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

北京清大网站遭伊斯兰国组织黑客攻击 (Tsinghua University’s website attacked by ISIS hackers)
Radio France Internationale, January 18, 2016
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20160118-北京清大网站遭伊斯兰国组织黑客攻击

Opinion and Editorial (观点和社论)

Why the elections in Taiwan matter so much – for Beijing, the region and the U.S.
South China Morning Post, January 15, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1901300/why-elections-taiwan-matter-so-much-beijing-region-and-us

Can old news shed light on the Gui Minhai case?
Medium, January 18, 2016
https://medium.com/china-media-project/can-old-news-shed-light-on-the-gui-minhai-case-a969ea091759#.r5p7kjl5y

Case of Hong Kong bookseller’s disappearance may well drag on
South China Morning Post, January 18, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1902217/case-hong-kong-booksellers-disappearance-may-well-drag

Now you know the terror
China Change, January 17, 2016
http://chinachange.org/2016/01/17/now-you-know-the-terror/

The dilemma facing rights lawyers in China
Wall Street Journal, January 18, 2016
http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-dilemma-facing-rights-lawyers-in-china-1453137609

Friday, January 15, 2016

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Two more Fengrui detainees formally arrested for subversion
Radio Free Asia, January 14, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/fengrui-01142016160612.html

Related:
China's pursuit of rights lawyers signals aggressive push against “subversion”
The Guardian, January 14, 2016
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/14/chinas-pursuit-of-human-rights-lawyers-signals-aggressive-push-against-subversion

China tells U.S. not to interfere after call for release of rights lawyers
Channel NewsAsia, January 14, 2016
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/china-tells-us-not-to-int/2425698.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

Minitrue: No unauthorized reporting on charged rights lawyers
China Digital Times, January 14, 2016
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2016/01/minitrue-no-unauthorized-reporting-on-charged-rights-lawyers/

Chinese blogger demands answers over “missing” millions in fund to help “left-behind children” from poor families
South China Morning Post, January 14, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/1901093/chinese-blogger-demands-answers-over-missing-millions-fund-help

Beijing police have thousands of Internet monitoring volunteers
Radio Free Asia, January 14, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/volunteers-01142016151959.html

Related:
北京高调招募3000网警志愿者 国保大队设“网上斗争室” (Beijing recruits 3000 volunteer internet troops, National Security team to set up “internet combat room”)
Radio Free Asia, January 14, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/xl1-01142016101258.html

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Tibetan language made equal with Chinese in county in China's Qinghai
Radio Free Asia, January 13, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/equal-01132016145116.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Chinese citizens are boycotting search engine Baidu—and praying for Google to come back
Quartz, January 14, 2016
http://qz.com/593120/chinese-citizens-are-boycotting-search-engine-baidu-and-praying-for-google-to-come-back/

人权观察:北京对维权律师的打压前所未有 (Human Rights Watch: Beijing’s crackdown on rights lawyers is unprecedented)
Radio France Internationale, January 14, 2016
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20160114-人权观察:北京对维权律师的打压前所未有

Related:
China: Subversion charges target lawyers Arrests reflect Xi Jinping’s broader repression of rights activism
Human Rights Watch, January 14, 2016
https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/01/14/china-subversion-charges-target-lawyers

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China’s Communist Party graft-busters to widen political watch in 2016
South China Morning Post, January 14, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1901224/chinas-communist-party-graft-busters-widen-political

Related:
中紀委:中國不是結構性腐敗 (CPC Disciplinary Committee: China is not structurally corrupt)
Mingpao, January 15, 2016
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20160115/s00002/1452830076813

China party to target key officials in graft fight: Xinhua
Reuters, January 14, 2016
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-corruption-idUSKCN0UT043

Beijing says corruption suspect “persuaded” to return from UK to China
The Telegraph, January 14, 2016
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/12098865/Beijing-says-corruption-suspect-persuaded-to-return-from-UK-to-China.html

Report: China’s 1 percent owns 1/3 of wealth
报告称中国最富1%家庭拥有全国1/3财产
The Diplomat, January 15, 2016
EN: http://thediplomat.com/2016/01/report-chinas-1-percent-owns-13-of-wealth/
CH: http://www.ftchinese.com/story/001065766

Hong Kong (香港)

梁振英:不排除退出酷刑协议民间组织:漠视人权兼枉作小人 (CY Leung says gov’t may quit UN Convention Against Torture, NGOs criticize him for neglecting human rights and playing the villain in ignorance)
Radio France Internationale, January 14, 2016
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20160114-梁振英:不排除退出酷刑协议民间组织:漠视人权兼枉作小人

【港大生擬罷課】馬斐森:學生有權表達意見 不會處分 [Vice chancellor Mathieson on HKU students’ organizing strike: Students have the right to express opinions, will not be punished]
Mingpao, January 15, 2016
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20160115/s00001/1452834836569

New owner of Causeway Bay banned bookstore “eyes customer list”, report says
Hong Kong Free Press, January 14, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/01/14/new-owner-of-causeway-bay-banned-bookstore-eyes-customer-list-report-says/

Book on Chinese president pulled as fears grow for missing Hong Kong publishers
The Guardian, January 14, 2016
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/jan/14/xi-jinpings-nightmare-book-china-pulled-missing-hong-kong-publishers

“I would be a bad guy if I did not ask”: lawmakers press CY on missing bookseller at Q&A
Hong Kong Free Press, January 14, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/01/14/i-would-be-a-bad-guy-if-i-did-not-ask-lawmakers-press-cy-on-missing-bookseller-at-qa/

Related:
【書店5人失蹤】律師會會長熊運信促政府交代李波「人在哪裡」 ([Disappearance of 5 booksellers] Law Society chair Stephen Hung urges HK government to address the whereabouts of Lee Bo)
Mingpao, January 15, 2016
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20160115/s00001/1452822694069

Two-systems failure: China’s promise of autonomy for Hong Kong is ringing hollow
The Economist, January 14, 2016
http://www.economist.com/news/china/21688423-chinas-promise-autonomy-hong-kong-ringing-hollow-two-systems-failure