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.

Monday, July 31, 2017

We have concluded our Daily Brief Special Feature on Liu Xiaobo, prominent Chinese public intellectual and 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who died tragically in Chinese custody on July 13, 2017. For more information on Liu Xiaobo’s life and work, background information, and updates on his wife, Liu Xia, please see HRIC’s special action page: Liu Xiaobo's Living Legacy. We hope this page will be a useful information resource and help generate more effective action by the international community.

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Mainland Chinese driver for Hong Kong reporters arrested after Liu Xiaobo service
South China Morning Post, July 28, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2104552/mainland-chinese-driver-hong-kong-reporters-arrested-after

Related:
刘霞尚未返家继续被禁止与亲友通话 (Liu Xia hasn’t returned home and is not allowed to talk to family and friends)
Radio France Internationale, July 30, 2017
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20170730-刘霞尚未返家继续被禁止与亲友通话

台湾追悼刘晓波 余杰:软禁刘霞超越法西斯 (Church in Taiwan mourns Liu Xiaobo; Yu Jie: the house arrest of Liu Xia is worse than what the fascists and Nazis did)
Radio Free Asia, July 30, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/gangtai/hcm-07302017122900.html

吴淦狱中祭刘晓波文披露 言及自己所遭酷刑 (Wu Gan mourns Liu Xiaobo in prison and says he is tortured)
Weiquanwang, July 29, 2017
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2017/07/blog-post_178.html

Liu Xiaobo: Thousands urge China to free Liu Xia
Al Jazeera, July 30, 2017
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/07/liu-xiabo-thousands-urge-china-free-liu-xia-170729092534849.html

709事件被捕人获委派律师 家属称不会尽信 (709 crackdown targets are appointed lawyers, family members say they do not believe it)
Radio Television Hong Kong, July 28, 2017
http://gbcode.rthk.hk/TuniS/news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/video-gallery.htm

广东出台全国首部实施《律师法》地方性立法规定, 设置专门救济途径保障律师执业权利 (Guangdong introduces local legislation for national “Law of the People’s Republic of China on Lawyers,” sets up specialized project to protect lawyers’ right to practice)
Legal Daily, July 28, 2017
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2017-07/28/content_7262612.htm

广东警方刑拘142名“善心汇”传销组织涉案人员 (Guangdong police hold 142 Shan Xin Hui members under criminal detention for allegedly carrying out pyramid scheme)
Xinhua News Agency, July 30, 2017
http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2017-07-30/doc-ifyinwmp0880746.shtml

Access to Information (信息公开)

稱違中國法律 蘋果中國App Store下架VPN程式 (Apple removes VPN apps from App Store in China, saying they are against Chinese law)
Mingpao, July 29, 2017
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20170729/s00004/1501336087537

Related:
Apple removes apps offering virtual private networks from its China store
Global Voices, July 30, 2017
https://globalvoices.org/2017/07/30/apple-removes-apps-offering-virtual-private-networks-from-its-china-store/

Weibo next to carry torch in crusade against celebrity gossip
Sixth Tone, July 28, 2017
http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1000593/weibo-next-to-carry-torch-in-crusade-against-celebrity-gossip

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

吉林市23村突遭水库泄洪家被淹 上千灾民政府讨说法无果堵路抗议 (23 villages in Jilin city suddenly flooded, over 1,000 victims protest after discussions with government fail to produce results)
Radio Free Asia, July 27, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/huanjing/xl2-07272017094211.html

湖南万人上街抗议建垃圾厂 当局逼党员签名支持 (10,000 Hunan residents protest garbage plant construction, authorities force party members to sign in support of the project)
Radio Free Asia, July 27, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/huanjing/xl1-07272017093953.html

Transgender activists in China just scored a historic victory
Vox, July 27, 2017
https://www.vox.com/world/2017/7/27/16049820/china-transgender-discrimination-lawsuit-mr-c

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China's Xi: We can't be “blindly optimistic” on corruption inside the Communist Party
Newsweek, July 27, 2017
http://www.newsweek.com/communist-party-blindly-optimistic-about-corruption-643166

Germany said concerned by China's unwillingness to discuss Nobel laureate's widow
Reuters, July 28, 2017
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-rights-idUSKBN1AD0YY

Related:
德国关注中国继续限制刘晓波遗孀基本自由 (Germany pays close attention to China’s continued restriction of Liu Xiaobo’s widow’s basic freedoms)
Voice of America, July 28, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/voanews-20170728-germany-china-liu-xia/3962861.html

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

“It’s a game of whack-a-mole”: overseas VPN service providers gain as china tightens control on Internet use
South China Morning Post, July 29, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2104494/its-game-whack-mole-overseas-vpn-service-providers-gain-china

Hong Kong (香港)

Even in death Liu Xiaobo is an inspiration to many Hong Kong people
Iris So and Kwun Tong, South China Morning Post, July 28, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/2104497/even-death-liu-xiaobo-inspiration-many-hong-kong-people

Disqualified Hong Kong lawmakers move out of their offices but vow to return
South China Morning Post, July 28, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2104543/disqualified-hong-kong-lawmakers-move-out-their-offices-vow

Hong Kong’s democratic struggle and the rise of Chinese authoritarianism
China Policy Institute, July 27, 2017
https://cpianalysis.org/2017/07/27/hong-kongs-democratic-struggle-and-the-rise-of-chinese-authoritarianism/

林鄭:不應政治、妖魔化方案 跨境執法憂慮匪夷所思 (Carrie Lam: “One place, two checks” shouldn’t be demonized and cross-border law enforcement is a fantasy)
HK01, July 30, 2017
https://www.hk01.com/港聞/108484/-一地兩檢-林鄭-不應政治-妖魔化方案-跨境執法憂慮匪夷所思

Related:
陳茂波認為一地兩檢有助鞏固香港於大灣區及南中國地位 (Chan Mo-po: “One place, two checks” will help Hong Kong build strategic position in south China)
Radio Television Hong Kong, July 30, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1345256-20170730.htm

香港眾志指「憲法與基本法」教材套偏頗 促請當局收回 (Demosisto says textbooks are in violation of the Basic Law and urges gov’t to withdraw)
Radio Television Hong Kong, July 29, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1345145-20170729.htm

Commentary (评论)

Can China’s rights lawyers withstand the pressure?
China Digital Times, July 27, 2017
https://chinadigitaltimes.net/2017/07/can-chinas-rights-defense-movement-withstand-pressure/

Friday, July 28, 2017

Special Feature: Liu Xiaobo (特辑:刘晓波)

We hope our expanded special feature on Liu Xiaobo—including news items, analyses of the significance of his life and work, international support for Liu Xia and calls for accountability, and commentaries—will be a useful information resource and help generate more effective action by the international community. Liu Xiaobo was a prominent Chinese public intellectual and 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, recognized for “his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental rights in China.” He died of liver cancer on July 13, 2017 in Chinese custody.

News (新闻)

家屬披露劉曉波最後5小時 (Family of Liu Xiaobo reveals his last five hours)
Mingpao, July 28, 2017
https://news.mingpao.com/pns/dailynews/web_tc/article/20170728/s00013/1501177746042

四川维权人士李宇在福建海祭刘晓波被抓捕 现仍被羁押 (Sichuan human rights defender Li Yu arrested, still detained for Liu Xiaobo memorial on Fujian beach)
Weiquanwang, July 26, 2017
http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2017/07/blog-post_78.html

International Support for Liu Xia (国际社会声援刘霞)

陈光诚:刘霞可能被关“黑监狱” (Chen Guangcheng: Liu Xia has possibly been put into “black jail”)
Voice of America, July 28, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/liu-xia-jail-china-20170727/3962052.html

Commentary (评论)

Liu Xiaobo’s death and Western rights advocacy
Samuel Wade, China Digital Times, July 27, 2017
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2017/07/liu-xiaobos-death-western-rights-advocacy/

China's pro-democracy movement is dying by inches
Jonathan Manthorpe, iPolitics, July 26, 2017
http://ipolitics.ca/2017/07/26/chinas-pro-democracy-movement-is-dying-by-inches/

Liu Xiaobo wasn’t China’s only prisoner of conscience
Benedict Rogers, The Diplomat, July 28, 2017
http://thediplomat.com/2017/07/liu-xiaobo-wasnt-chinas-only-prisoner-of-conscience/

 
 
 
 

News (新闻)

Access to Justice (司法公正)

709事件被捕律師家屬到最高人民法院信訪處被阻進入 (Family of “709” lawyers stopped at petition office of Supreme People's Court)
Radio Television Hong Kong, July 28, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1344883-20170728.htm

律师权益关注:709李和平和王宇在关押期间曾要求见律师并提供了名单 未被允许 (Li Heping and Wang Yu demanded to meet with their designated lawyers during detention but weren’t allowed)
Weiquanwang, July 27, 2017
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2017/07/709_27.html

大陆54名律师联署《关于国务院不履行审查撤销司法部违法规章法定职责的监督书》 (54 lawyers in the mainland signed letter urging the State Council to remove Justice department’s unlawful authority of law firm management and the annual inspection of lawyers)
Weiquanwang, July 27, 2017
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2017/07/54.html

张海涛狱中单独囚禁 期盼律师代其申诉遭拒绝 (Political prisoner Zhang Haitao in solitary confinement and banned from hiring a lawyer to appeal his case)
Radio Free Asia, July 27, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql2-07272017093819.html

Uighurs arrested in Egypt face unknown fate
Al Jazeera, July 27, 2017
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/07/uighurs-arrested-egypt-face-unknown-fate-170721101113091.html

Police in Italy detain Uyghur exile group leader at China’s behest
Radio Free Asia, July 26, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/detention-07262017164520.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

北京网信办治理自媒体乱象,搜狐号封禁违规账号637个 (Beijing Internet Information Office regulates chaos in personal media accounts, 637 regulation-breaking Sohu accounts closed down)
The Paper, July 27, 2017
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1744637

Chinese writers steer path round censors to earn cash through apps
South China Morning Post, July 27, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2104321/chinese-writers-steer-path-round-censors-earn-cash

German envoy demands answers from China over Internet crackdown
South China Morning Post, July 28, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2104266/german-envoy-demands-answers-china-over-internet

A beautiful essay critiquing the “fake lives” of Beijingers is blocked after lighting up Chinese social media
Quartz, July 27, 2017
https://qz.com/1039681/a-beautiful-essay-critiquing-the-fake-lives-of-beijingers-is-blocked-after-lighting-up-chinese-social-media/

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China's Xi says party cannot rest on laurels in fighting corruption
Reuters, July 28, 2017
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-politics-corruption-idUSKBN1AD0A0

CPC issues new inspection rules
Global Times, July 27, 2017
http://www.ecns.cn/2017/07-27/266868.shtml

Former Tianjin mayor admits to corruption on TV
China Daily, July 27, 2017
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2017-07/27/content_30262341.htm

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

中国多地民办老师陆续维权 内蒙古数百人要补偿两人被拘 (Teachers from various cities continue protests, hundreds of Inner Mongolians request compensation for two who were detained)
Radio Free Asia, July 26, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf2-07262017110851.html

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China using AI to catch evildoers before they commit crime
Technocracy News, July 26, 2017
https://www.technocracy.news/index.php/2017/07/26/china-using-ai-catch-evildoers-commit-crime/

China to check personal information protection of online service providers
Xinhua, July 27, 2017
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-07/27/c_136477625.htm

Related:
中央网信办等四部门联合开展隐私条款专项工作 (Office of the Central Leading Group for Cyberspace Affairs and four other departments jointly launch specialized operation on privacy regulations)
Xinhua, July 27, 2017
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2017-07/27/c_1121391284.htm

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

世维大会强烈要求欧盟调查意大利警察扣留多里坤事件 (World Uyghur Congress presses EU to investigate the detention of Dolkun Isa by Italian police)
Radio Free Asia, July 27, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shaoshuminzu/gr-07272017112452.html

Hong Kong (香港)

一地兩檢令基本法淪為廢紙 (“One place, two checks” makes the Basic Law a useless piece of paper)
Mingpao, July 28, 2017
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20170728/s00022/1501203381146

議員學者成立關注組 反對「一地兩檢」 (Lawmakers and academics form concern group in protest against “one place, two checks”)
Radio Television Hong Kong, July 27, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1344814-20170727.htm

林鄭月娥稱有責任就基本法23條營造適合條件啟動立法 (Carrie Lam: I am responsible to implement Article 23 and will create conditions conducive to restart the process)
Radio Television Hong Kong, July 27, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1344767-20170727.htm

Hong Kong gov’t faces more legal challenges over West Kowloon mainland checkpoint plan
Hong Kong Free Press, July 27, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/07/27/hong-kong-govt-faces-legal-challenges-west-kowloon-mainland-checkpoint-plan/

Hong Kong legal challenge to mainland’s high-speed rail terminus lease “unlikely to succeed”
South China Morning Post, July 26, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2104084/hong-kong-legal-challenge-lease-arrangement-unlikely-succeed

Related:
Pro-democracy veteran Martin Lee warns joint checkpoint deal sets precedent for crushing protests
Hong Kong Free Press, July 27, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/07/27/pro-democracy-veteran-martin-lee-warns-joint-checkpoint-deal-sets-precedent-crushing-protests/

Chinese democracy: political developments in Hong Kong since the Umbrella Movement
Hot Press, July 27, 2017
http://www.hotpress.com/politics/frontlines/Chinese-Democracy-Political-Developments-in-Hong-Kong-since-the-Umbrella-Movement/20391407.html

Why didn't Hong Kong's freedoms spill over into China?
Radio Free Asia, July 27, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/hongkong-freedoms-07272017135104.html

Commentary (评论)

Why is Beijing afraid of Chinese feminists?
The Washington Post, July 27, 2017
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/07/27/why-is-beijing-afraid-of-chinese-feminists/

The world cannot ignore China’s worsening abuse of basic human rights
UnHerd, July 26, 2017
https://unherd.com/the-feed-blog/china-worsening-human-rights/

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Special Feature: Liu Xiaobo (特辑:刘晓波)

We hope our expanded special feature on Liu Xiaobo—including news items, analyses of the significance of his life and work, international support for Liu Xia and calls for accountability, and commentaries—will be a useful information resource and help generate more effective action by the international community. Liu Xiaobo was a prominent Chinese public intellectual and 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, recognized for “his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental rights in China.” He died of liver cancer on July 13, 2017 in Chinese custody.

News (新闻)

中國人權民運信息中心指劉霞今早仍然未回家 (Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy: Liu Xia still hasn’t returned home this morning)
Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy, July 27, 2017
http://www.881903.com/Page/ZH-TW/newsdetail.aspx?ItemId=954546&csid=261_341

International Support for Liu Xia (国际社会给刘霞的声援)

WATCH: Security guards rough up reporters who try to visit Liu Xia's home
Shanghaiist, July 26, 2017
http://shanghaiist.com/2017/07/26/liu-xia-home-visit.php

Commentary (评论)

Tragedy of Liu Xiaobo shows why China is not Mandela’s South Africa
South China Morning Post, July 26, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2103995/tragedy-liu-xiaobo-shows-why-china-not-mandelas-south-africa

Related:
Liu Xiaobo's Living Legacy
劉曉波被海葬,遺孀劉霞仍遭嚴密控制
Human Rights in China, July 27, 2017
EN: http://www.hrichina.org/en/liu-xiaobos-living-legacy
CH: http://www.hrichina.org/chs/liu-xiao-bo-de-jing-shen-yi-chan

 
 
 
 

News (新闻)

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Missing human rights lawyer “in good health in Tianjin facility”
South China Morning Post, July 26, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2104246/missing-human-rights-lawyer-good-health-tianjin

Related:
維權人士吳淦與律師見面 律師:精神狀態良好意志堅定 (Lawyer: Wu Gan is in good spirits and still steadfast)
Radio Television Hong Kong, July 27, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1344540-20170726.htm

The lonely crusade of China’s human rights lawyers
The New York Times, July 25, 2017
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/25/magazine/the-lonely-crusade-of-chinas-human-rights-lawyers.html

Mass crackdown on Chinese lawyers, defenders and international reactions: A brief chronology
Human Rights in China, February 16, 2017
http://www.hrichina.org/en/mass-crackdown-chinese-lawyers-defenders-and-international-reactions-brief-chronology

Sixty-seven held after big pyramid scheme protest in Beijing
South China Morning Post, July 27, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/economy/article/2104294/sixty-seven-held-after-big-pyramid-scheme-protest-beijing

Related:
北京警方:“善心汇”非法聚集 63人被刑拘 (Beijing Police: Shan Xin Hui members are gathering illegally and 63 are under criminal detention)
Beijing Police, July 26, 2017
http://news.sina.com.cn/c/nd/2017-07-26/doc-ifyinvyk1318343.shtml

Access to Information (信息公开)

Praise for Bo Xilai in Chongqing as city faces fresh graft probe
South China Morning Post, July 26, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2104202/praise-bo-xilai-chongqing-city-faces-fresh-graft-probe