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, November 18, 2016

Access to Information (信息公开)

Statement of the week: China’s Internet is open
China Digital Times, November 17, 2016
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2016/11/statement-week-chinas-internet-open/

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

China's Christians vow to defy new rules banning organized worship
Radio Free Asia, November 17, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/christians-rules-11172016111545.html

中国当局劫毁高智晟新书 耿和公布电子版抗议封锁 (Chinese authorities intercept and destroy Gao Zhisheng’s new book, his wife publishes electronic version to protest the blockade)
Radio Free Asia, November 17, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/xl2-11172016102836.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China’s anti-graft watchdog publicly shames and demotes Chinese railway official who sent 2,300 bawdy texts to woman
South China Morning Post, November 17, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2046951/chinas-anti-graft-watchdog-publicly-shames-and-demotes-chinese

China says family cut off funds to get most-wanted graft suspect back
Reuters, November 17, 2016
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-corruption-usa-idUSKBN13C150

马英九大马举行国际记者会指责北京打压 (Ma Ying-jeou holds press conference in Malaysia protesting China’s suppression)
British Broadcasting Corporation, November 17, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/china/2016/11/161117_taiwan_malaysia_ma_china

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China builds a brave new online world behind the wire
South China Morning Post, November 18, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2047028/china-builds-brave-new-online-world-behind-wire

China doubles down on Internet control after tough new law
Voice of America, November 17, 2016
http://www.voanews.com/a/china-internet-control/3600962.html

Xi Jinping pushes China’s vision for the worldwide web
Financial Times, November 16, 2016
https://www.ft.com/content/482bcfd0-abd0-11e6-9cb3-bb8207902122

Hong Kong (香港)

High Court to hear Youngspiration duo’s appeal over oath dispute
Hong Kong Free Press, November 17, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/11/17/high-court-hear-youngspiration-duos-appeal-oath-dispute/

Retired photojournalist seeks legal challenge over oaths of 14 lawmakers and Chief Exec. C.Y. Leung
Hong Kong Free Press, November 17, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/11/17/retired-reporter-seeks-legal-challenge-over-oaths-of-14-lawmakers-and-chief-exec-cy-leung/

【誓詞風波】新華社:高院裁決維護一國兩制尊嚴 打擊「港獨」分子氣焰 ([Oath-taking row] Xinhua: High Court’s ruling defends the dignity of One Country Two Systems, blowing “separatist elements’” bluster)
Ming Pao, November 17, 2016
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20161117/s00001/1479369846437

Commentary (评论)

Lawyer who helped draft Basic Law says Beijing interpretation has destroyed “one country, two systems”
South China Morning Post, November 17, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2046959/lawyer-who-helped-draft-basic-law-says-beijing

反對派必須勇敢承認分歧(文:葉健民) (Opposition parties must bravely recognize their differences)
Ming Pao, November 18, 2016
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20161118/s00022/1479432872513

當政治沒有曙光,我們更需要白票 (One should cast a blank vote especially when political situation isn’t hopeful)
InMedia HK, November 18, 2016
http://www.inmediahk.net/node/1045920

What does Xi's “One China" mean for Hong Kong's democracy?
习近平的“一个中国”对香港民主意味着什么?
Voice of America, November 18, 2016
EN: http://www.voanews.com/a/china-hong-kong/3601047.html
CH: http://www.voachinese.com/a/Xi-HONGKONG-DEMOCRACY/3601531.html

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Access to Information (信息公开)

Kim Jong Un gets new mean nickname after Chinese censors block fat jokes
Gizmodo, November 17, 2016
http://gizmodo.com/kim-jong-un-gets-new-mean-nickname-after-chinese-censor-1789073146

BBC stopped from visiting China independent candidate
British Broadcasting Corporation, November 17, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38005603

Related:
In China, foreign correspondents continue to face harassment, restrictions
Committee to Protect Journalists, November 15, 2016
https://cpj.org/blog/2016/11/in-china-foreign-correspondents-continue-to-face-h.php

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Across China, Walmart faces labor unrest as authorities stand aside
The New York Times, November 17, 2016
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/17/world/asia/across-china-walmart-faces-labor-unrest-as-authorities-stand-aside.html

China elections: Independent candidates fight for the ballot
British Broadcasting Corporation, November 17, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-37997706

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Communist Party leadership calls for fairer global governance of Internet
South China Morning Post, November 16, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2046645/communist-party-leadership-calls-fairer-global

Related:
《网络安全法》通过后 中国举办第三次世界互联网大会习近平再提网络主权 (China holds 3rd World Internet Conference after Cybersecurity Law passed, Xi Jinping reiterates about “cyber sovereignty”)
Radio Free Asia, November 16, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/xl2-11162016103016.html

Secret back door in some U.S. phones sent data to China, analysts say
中国公司被指在安卓手机留“后门”
The New York Times, November 16, 2016
EN: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/16/us/politics/china-phones-software-security.html
CH: http://cn.nytimes.com/world/20161116/china-phones-software-security/dual/

Hong Kong (香港)

Disqualified Hong Kong lawmakers Leung and Yau in High Court for battle to keep seats until appeal
South China Morning Post, November 17, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2046900/hong-kong-high-court-set-rule-whether-baggio-leung-and-yau

Hong Kong abductions: Marco Rubio seeks U.S. sanctions against officials
The Guardian, November 17, 2016
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/17/hong-kong-abductions-marco-rubio-seeks-us-sanctions-against-officials

China's interference in Hong Kong reaching alarming levels: U.S. congressional panel
Reuters, November 16, 2016
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-china-usa-idUSKBN13C07Z

Hong Kong umbrella movement documentary to get limited screening
Radio Free Asia, November 16, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/screening-11162016105313.html

香港学运领袖黄之锋现身美国国会 (Hong Kong student leader Joshua Wong appears at U.S. Congress)
Deutsche Welle, November 17, 2016
http://www.dw.com/zh/香港学运领袖黄之锋现身美国国会/a-36418721

Related:
黃之鋒訪華盛頓 促特朗普關注中國打壓香港 (Joshua Wong visits Washington DC, urges Trump to pay attention to China’s oppression of Hong Kong)
British Broadcasting Corporation, November 17, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/china/2016/11/161117_us_china_hongkong_trump

【人大釋法】中大畢業禮舉反釋法標語被指不適當 學生反問校長:兩民選議員被DQ,那什麼是莊嚴? ([NPC interpretation of Basic Law] Students’ protest against NPC interpretation at graduation ceremony chided as inappropriate, students question Vice-Chancellor what “solemnity” means when democratically elected legislators got disqualified)
Ming Pao, November 17, 2016
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20161117/s00001/1479357711410

Related:
中大今舉行畢業禮 火車站外現反梁反人大橫額 (Anti-CY Leung and anti-NPC banners appear at train station on CUHK graduation ceremony day)
Ming Pao, November 17, 2016
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20161117/s00001/1479342257960

Commentary (评论)

The future of public interest litigation in China
ChinaFile, November 16, 2016
http://www.chinafile.com/environment/future-of-public-interest-litigation-china

香港法律专家谈宣誓案判决的影响 (Hong Kong legal experts comment on impacts of the ruling of oath-taking case)
Radio Free Asia, November 16, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/gangtai/cp-11162016103532.html

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Unswayed by extraordinary public outcry, China executes nail-gun killer
The Washington Post, November 15, 2016
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/unswayed-by-extraordinary-public-outcry-china-executes-nail-gun-killer/2016/11/15/cbef295c-ab12-11e6-8410-7613f8c1dae8_story.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

Foreign journalists working in China face increased harassment
The Guardian, November 15, 2016
https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2016/nov/15/foreign-journalists-working-in-china-face-increased-harassment

Chinese state media CEO challenges Tencent’s power over online news
Global Voices, November 15, 2016
https://globalvoices.org/2016/11/15/chinese-state-media-ceo-challenges-tencents-power-over-online-news/

Chinese media praise Trump’s “experience and ideology”
South China Morning Post, November 15, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2046302/chinese-media-praise-trumps-experience-and-ideology

New law, slowing sales take shine off China’s box office
Asia Times, November 15, 2016
http://www.atimes.com/article/new-law-slowing-sales-take-shine-off-chinas-box-office/

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

“We have a fake election”: China disrupts local campaigns
The New York Times, November 16, 2016
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/16/world/asia/beijing-china-local-elections.html

中国将开世界互联网大会 维权人士被跨省稳控 (China to hold World Internet Conference, rights defenders across provinces under strict control)
Radio Free Asia, November 15, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/yf2-11152016104658.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Chinese leadership sending “confusing” messages over reform of state-owned enterprises: China watcher
South China Morning Post, November 16, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/economy/article/2046500/chinese-leadership-sending-confusing-messages-over-reform-state

China holds officials to account for sloppy environmental efforts
Voice of America, November 15, 2016
http://www.voanews.com/a/china-pollution/3597961.html

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong court bans pro-independence politicians from office
The Guardian, November 15, 2016
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/15/hong-kong-bans-pro-democracy-politicians-after-beijing-rewrites-oath-law

Related:
“Elections are meaningless”: Elected localist duo to appeal against court ruling barring them from legislature
Hong Kong Free Press, November 15, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/11/15/breaking-elected-localist-duo-to-appeal-against-hong-kong-court-ruling-barring-them-from-legislature/

Judgment: Between The Chief Executive of the HKSAR (1st Plaintiff) Secretary for Justice (2nd Plaintiff) and Yau Wai China (1st Defendant), Sixtus Leung Chung Hang (2nd Defendant), President of the Legislative Council
The High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Court of First Instance, November 15, 2016
http://legalref.judiciary.gov.hk/lrs/common/search/search_result_detail_frame.jsp?DIS=106799&QS=%2B&TP=JU

Press Summary: Constitutional and Administrative Law List. No. 185 of 2016 and Miscellaneous Proceedings No. 2819 of 2016.
新聞摘要: 憲法及行政訴訟2016年第185號及雜項案件2016年第2819號。 本摘要由高等法院司法助理擬備,並非判決書的一部分。
The High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Court of First Instance, November 15, 2016
EN: http://legalref.judiciary.gov.hk/doc/judg/html/vetted/other/en/2016/HCAL000185A_2016_files/HCAL000185A_2016ES.htm
CH: http://legalref.judiciary.gov.hk/doc/judg/html/vetted/other/en/2016/HCAL000185A_2016_files/HCAL000185A_2016CS.htm

香港活動人士黃之鋒將在新加坡研討會發言 (Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong to speak at a forum in Singapore)
British Broadcasting Corporation, November 16, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/china/2016/11/161116_hongkong_joshua_wong_singapore

朱經緯涉毆途人兩年未定是否檢控 黎棟國指律政司一直與警溝通 現不宜評論 (No charge yet two years after former superintendent Franklin Chu allegedly beat passers-by, Security Sec Lai Tung-kwok refuses to comment at this stage while DOJ has been communicating with the police)
Ming Pao, November 16, 2016
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20161116/s00001/1479278259831

Commentary (评论)

China’s great leap backward
The Atlantic, December 2016
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/12/chinas-great-leap-backward/505817/

Facebook, Microsoft, LinkedIn and others must resist China’s Orwellian vision of the Internet
Hong Kong Free Press, November 16, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/11/16/facebook-microsoft-linkedin-and-others-must-resist-chinas-orwellian-vision-of-the-internet/

【梁游敗訴】評法院梁游宣誓案判辭(文:任建峰) (Progressive Lawyers Group Kevin Yam on the Court’s ruling over localist duo’s oath taking)
Ming Pao, November 16, 2016
http://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20161116/s00022/1479258162674

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Outcry as China executes symbol of injustice Jia Jinglong
The Guardian, November 15, 2016
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/15/outcry-as-china-executes-symbol-of-injustice-jia-jinglong

Related:
12 Chinese legal professionals’ letter of appeal for the review of Jia Jinglong’s death penalty
China Change, November 14, 2016
https://chinachange.org/2016/11/14/12-chinese-legal-professionals-letter-of-appeal-for-the-review-of-jia-jinglongs-death-penalty/

Access to Information (信息公开)

Online freedom hit by pressure on social media, apps; China worst offender
Agence France-Presse, November 15, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/11/15/online-freedom-hit-pressure-social-media-apps-china-worst-offender/

New China data shows mixed economic picture
The Wall Street Journal, November 13, 2016
http://www.wsj.com/articles/china-manufacturing-index-highest-in-over-two-years-1477964363

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Throwing labor activists in jail won’t solve China’s structural problems
Quartz, November 14, 2016
http://qz.com/827623/throwing-labor-activists-like-meng-han-in-jail-wont-solve-chinas-structural-problems/

Police in Shanghai, Beijing detain more independent election candidates
Radio Free Asia, November 14, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/election-detentions-11142016160141.html