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, December 23, 2016

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Chinese lawyers demand action to clear smog
中国律师起诉地方政府治霾不力
The Financial Times, December 22, 2016
EN: https://www.ft.com/content/14038316-c740-11e6-8f29-9445cac8966f
CH: http://www.ftchinese.com/story/001070671

修《警察法》引争议 中国应否扩大警察“开枪权” (Draft "Police Law" stirs controversy: Should China expand police’s “right to shoot”?)
Radio Free Asia, December 22, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/hc-12222016104753.html

Related:
China: Draft police law entrenches abuses
Human Rights Watch, December 21, 2016
https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/12/21/china-draft-police-law-entrenches-abuses

“A notice to foreign forces: We’ve captured Jiang Tianyong!”—Video denigrates human rights lawyer
China Change, December 22, 2016
https://chinachange.org/2016/12/22/a-notice-to-foreign-forces-weve-captured-jiang-tianyong-video-denigrates-human-rights-lawyer/

Related:
Wife of detained Chinese rights lawyer hits out at Party video
Radio Free Asia, December 22, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/lawyer-beatings-12222016095715.html

The hidden cost of settling yet another labor dispute
China Labor Bulletin, December 23, 2016
http://www.clb.org.hk/content/hidden-cost-settling-yet-another-labour-dispute

China rights website founder arrested for leaking state secrets, says Amnesty
South China Morning Post, December 22, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2056584/china-rights-website-founder-arrested-leaking-state

Tibetan protest monk released after serving full term in jail
Radio Free Asia, December 22, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/term-12222016125639.html

Access to Information

Access to Information (信息公开)

成都人权活动人士黄琦被泄密罪批捕 (Formal arrest approved for Huang Qi, founder of “64 Tianwang” website, on charge of “leaking state secrets”)
British Broadcasting Corporation, December 21, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-38404043

“No ghosts. No gay love stories. No nudity”: tales of film-making in China
The Guardian, September 22, 2016
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/sep/22/tales-of-film-making-in-china-hollywood-hong-kong

Chinese propaganda video warns of West’s “devilish claws”
中国网络热传视频渲染“颜色革命”威胁
The New York Times, December 22, 2016
EN: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/22/world/asia/china-video-communist-party.html
CH: http://cn.nytimes.com/china/20161223/china-video-communist-party/zh-hant/

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

China extends its clampdown on foreign nonprofits
Voice of America, December 21, 2016
http://www.voanews.com/a/china-international-nonprofit-groups-foreign-influence/3645515.html

中国政府公布境外非政府组织可从事的活动清单 (Chinese government issues list of approved NGO activities)
Radio Free Asia, December 21, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/zhengzhi/nu-12212016145559.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

云南一新建学校墙体现大面积裂纹 校方称安全无影响引质疑 (Walls of new school in Yunnan covered in cracks, casting doubt in safety claims by school officials)
Radio Free Asia, December 22, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/kejiaowen/yf1-12222016104403.html

中国国家电网App泄千万个资 隐私打包贱卖网民呼吁“人肉”官员 (Leaked information of millions of State Grid Corporation of China app users is sold online, netizens suggest using same platform to expose officials’ assets)
Radio Free Asia, December 22, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/xl1-12222016101140.html

China military to hold secret anti-graft inspections over holidays
Reuters, December 22, 2016
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-defence-corruption-idUSKBN14B132

Hong Kong (香港)

香港特首选举制度 中港学生观点迥异 (Views of Hong Kong and mainland students divided on how Hong Kong’s Chief Executive is to be elected)
Radio Free Asia, December 22, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/gangtai/wsw-12222016104649.html

Mainland No 3 official, CY Leung hold private meeting in Beijing
South China Morning Post, December 22, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2056533/carrie-lam-denies-beijing-visit-chief-executive-bid-says

Fund established to support four pro-democracy lawmakers targeted in gov’t legal action
Hong Kong Free Press, December 22, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/12/22/fund-established-to-support-four-pro-democracy-lawmakers-targeted-in-govt-legal-action/

Commentary (评论)

Prison laborers in China endure unimaginable suffering to produce holiday lights
The Washington Post, December 21, 2016
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2016/12/21/prison-laborers-in-china-endure-unimaginable-suffering-to-produce-holiday-lights/

Trump’s win “a lesson to China” to listen to “silent majority” online
Reuters, December 22, 2016
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-crime-corruption-idUSKBN14B0RR

时事大家谈: 2016中国法制严重倒退? (Current Affairs Discussion: Did China’s legal system seriously regress in 2016?)
Voice of America, December 21, 2016
http://www.voachinese.com/a/io-20161221-interviews-chen-guangcheng-china-rights/3645216.html

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Activist, writer held on spying, subversion charges in China's Sichuan
Radio Free Asia, December 21, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/activist-writer-held-on-spying-subversion-charges-in-chinas-sichuan-12212016110458.html

China to try one rights lawyer as European diplomats visit family of another
Radio Free Asia, December 21, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/lawyers-trials-12212016123537.html

4 in China cleared after 2 successful death sentence appeals
The Washington Post, December 22, 2016
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/4-in-china-cleared-after-2-successful-death-sentence-appeals/2016/12/22/3c361a44-c810-11e6-acda-59924caa2450_story.html

广东乌坎9村民被控“非法集会游行” 集体受审 (9 Wukan villagers charged with “illegal assembly” in a joint trial)
Radio Free Asia, December 20, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql2-12202016115313.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

“六四天网”创办人黄琦被当局指控非法泄漏国家机密 (Huang Qi, founder of “64 Tianwang” website, charged with illegally “leaking state secrets”)
Radio France Internationale, December 21, 2016
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20161221-“六四天网”创办人黄琦被当局指控非法泄漏国家机密

中国政府利用打黄扫非限制民众利用互联网直播平台 (Chinese government uses excuse of “cleaning up Internet porn” to restrict citizens from publishing “unofficial” videos on social media)
Radio Free Asia, December 20, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/hc-12202016114950.html

中国公布对境外NGO的业务主管单位名录 (China releases directory of professional supervisory units for overseas NGOs)
Voice of America, December 21, 2016
http://www.voachinese.com/a/china-foreign-ngos-20161221/3644197.html

Related:
China details operating areas for foreign NGOs under new law
Reuters, December 21, 2016
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-lawmaking-ngos-idUSKBN14A1HR

Independent journalism in China struggles to survive
The Diplomat, December 21, 2016
http://thediplomat.com/2016/12/independent-journalism-in-china-struggles-to-survive/

Government Accountability (政府问责)

“Airpocalypse”: dirties credibility of Chinese government
South China Morning Post, December 21, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2056404/airpocalypse-dirties-credibility-chinese-government

China foreign minister says U.S. ties face new uncertainties
Reuters, December 21, 2016
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-usa-idUSKBN14B0AA

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China invents the digital totalitarian state
The Economist, December 15, 2016
http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21711902-worrying-implications-its-social-credit-project-china-invents-digital-totalitarian

China’s digital dictatorship: Worrying experiments with a new form of social control
The Economist, December 17, 2016
http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21711904-worrying-experiments-new-form-social-control-chinas-digital-dictatorship

Hong Kong (香港)

警察之都:香港拟增千警对付示威者 (Hong Kong to increase police presence to deal with demonstrators)
Radio France Internationale, December 21, 2016
http://cn.rfi.fr/政治/20161221-警察之都:香港拟增千警对付示威者

China’s Public Security Ministry labels Hong Kong democracy activists “foreign proxies”
South China Morning Post, December 21, 2016
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2056387/chinas-public-security-ministry-labels-hong-kong

Commentary (评论)

Did Oslo kowtow to Beijing?
ChinaFile, December 21, 2016
http://www.chinafile.com/conversation/did-oslo-kowtow-beijing

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Access to Justice (司法公正)

欧盟四国外交官探访江天勇家人 “709”家属李文足声讨郭声琨 (Diplomats from 4 EU countries visit Jiang Tianyong’s family members, Li Wenzu, wife of "709" victim Wang Quanzhang denounces Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun)
Radio Free Asia, December 20, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/xl2-12202016105317.html

709大抓捕:律师会见受阻 李和平妻子亲任辩护为夫申冤 (709 crackdown: Wife of lawyer Li Heping, Wang Qiaoling, to defend husband in court after he is obstructed from meeting with lawyers)
Radio Free Asia, December 20, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ml2-12202016112025.html

Chinese dissident finds home too dangerous, but he may go to Syria
Los Angeles Times, December 19, 2016
https://www.rawstory.com/2016/12/chinese-dissident-finds-home-too-dangerous-but-he-may-go-to-syria/

China moves ahead with trials of rebel villagers in secret
Radio Free Asia, December 12, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/china-moves-ahead-with-trials-of-rebel-villagers-in-secret-12202016110611.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

Press authority restricts online video circulation on social media
Caixin, December 20, 2016
http://www.caixinglobal.com/2016-12-20/101029052.html

Related:
国家新闻出版广电总局发布微博、微信等网络社交平台传播视听节目的管理规定 (SAPPRFT to further regulate dissemination of audio and visual materials on social media)
State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, December 16, 2016
http://www.sarft.gov.cn/art/2016/12/16/art_113_32237.html

SAPPRFT further limits use of social media
China Law Translate, December 18, 2016
http://chinalawtranslate.com/sapprft-further-limits-use-of-social-media/?lang=en

China restricts sharing of “unofficial” videos on social media
The Guardian, December 21, 2016
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/21/china-restricts-sharing-of-unofficial-videos-on-social-media

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Catalog of Fields and Projects for Foreign NGOs with Activities in China, and Directory of Professional Supervisory Units (2017)
境外非政府组织在中国境内活动领域和项目目录、业务主管单位名录(2017)
The Ministry of Public Security of the PRC, December 20, 2016
EN: http://bit.ly/2i4LxV2
CH: http://www.mps.gov.cn/n2254314/n2254409/n4904353/c5579013/content.html

Artist Liu Bolin live streams Beijing smog to raise awareness
Voice of America, December 19, 2016
http://www.voanews.com/a/liu-bolin-live-streams-beijing-smog-to-raise-awareness/3643170.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

中国严重雾霾波及近5亿人 (China's severe smog affecting nearly 500 million people)
Financial Times, December 20, 2016
http://www.ftchinese.com/story/001070643

China tightens financial oversight on military after scandals
Reuters, December 21, 2016
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-defence-corruption-idUSKBN14A072

Former senior Chinese official jailed for life for graft
Voice of America, December 20, 2016
http://www.voanews.com/a/former-senior-chinese-official-jailed-for-life-for-graft/3643370.html

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China’s anticorruption drive ensnares the lowly and rattles families
The Wall Street Journal, December 20, 2016
http://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-anticorruption-drive-ensnares-the-lowly-and-rattles-families-1482248291

Hong Kong (香港)

Competitive, democratic elections could lead to separatism, ex-Hong Kong chief Tung Chee-hwa claims
Hong Kong Free Press, December 20, 2016
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/12/20/competitive-democratic-elections-could-lead-to-separatism-ex-hong-kong-chief-tung-chee-hwa-claims/

Commentary (评论)

記在The 4th Chinese LGBT Conference之後——關於我個人參與運動的初衷與反思 (My intentions for and reflections on participating in the 4th Chinese LGBT Conference)
InMediaHK, December 14, 2016
http://www.inmediahk.net/node/1046557

Christmas in the People’s Daily
China Media Project, December 21, 2016
http://cmp.hku.hk/2016/12/21/40039/

China’s “social credit” system: Turning big data into mass surveillance
The Wall Street Journal, December 21, 2016
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2016/12/21/chinas-social-credit-system-turning-big-data-into-mass-surveillance/

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Access to Justice (司法公正)

王峭岭获奖 (Wang Qiaoling collects award)
YouTube, December 16, 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek_LwEF9PAE&feature=youtu.be

Related:
Mass Crackdown on Chinese Lawyers, Defenders and International Reactions: A Brief Chronology
Human Rights in China, September 13, 2016
http://www.hrichina.org/en/mass-crackdown-chinese-lawyers-defenders-and-international-reactions-brief-chronology