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, December 30, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

新疆镇压行动中的维吾尔族儿童
In China’s Crackdown on Muslims, Children Have Not Been Spared
The New York Times, December 30, 2019

美国会推进涉疆法案,制裁拘禁穆斯林的中国官员
Congress Wants to Force Trump’s Hand on Human Rights in China and Beyond
The New York Times, December 30, 2019

Thousands Rally in Indonesia, Malaysia to Protest China’s Treatment of Uyghurs
Radio Free Asia, December 27, 2019

Related:
‘Get out, China’: Indonesian Muslims march to protest against treatment of Uygurs
South China Morning Post, December 28, 2019

China Denies Jailed Former Xinjiang University President Sentenced to Death
Radio Free Asia, December 27, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Chinese court sentences Early Rain Church pastor to nine years jail for subversion
Reuters, December 30, 2019

六四天網黃琦二審維持原判 囚巴中12年 (Activist Huang Qi's sentence upheld during appeal, to serve 12 years prison term in Bazhong)
Ming Pao, December 30, 2019

China axes 'custody and education' system which subjected sex workers to forced labour
Independent, December 29, 2019

Related:
China scraps extra-judicial forced labor for sex workers
Reuters, December 28, 2019

‘Nothing except lies’: Ex-inmate hits back at China over prison labour row
Agence France-Presse, December 29, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

中國官媒引述「香港新疆事務屬中國內政」 韓外交部指文在寅被曲解 向中方轉達正確版本 (South Korea's Ministry of Affairs says Chinese state media misquoted president Moon Jae-in, did not reaffirm Hong Kong and Xinjiang issues are China's internal affairs)
Stand News, December 30, 2019

Taiwan's citizens battle pro-China fake news campaigns as election nears
The Guardian, December 30, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

2020台湾大选:总统候选人电视辩论聚焦“一国两制”、香港示威和《反渗透法 》(One Country Two Systems, Hong Kong protests, and anti-infiltration law: Taiwan presidential candidates debate before 2020 elections)
BBC, December 29, 2019

Related:
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen says talks with Beijing could resume
South China Morning Post, December 30, 2019

China Expands Drug-Buying Program to Cut Costs for Patients
Bloomberg, December 29, 2019

China’s coal production on the rise, along with reports of mining accidents
South China Morning Post, December 28, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

人臉辨識監控無第三方監察ㅤ澳門科技業界人士︰權力可以無限大 (Macau's technology sector concerned at police's use of facial recognition for surveillance without third-party supervision)
Stand News, December 28, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong to end year with multiple protests, kick off 2020 with big march
Reuters, December 30, 2019

Hong Kong student beaten by police diagnosed with PTSD, abandons upcoming exams
Hong Kong Free Press, December 30, 2019

Related:
台灣教會支援約二百港人 大部分學生有創傷症候群徵狀 (Taiwan church offers humanitarian aid to 200 Hong Kongers who fled the city, says most students suffer from PTSD)
Radio Television Hong Kong, December 30, 2019

港鐵新工會爭公開7.21、8.31CCTV 主席:想擺脫「黨鐵」之名為市民服務 (Newly formed MTR workers union urges disclosure of surveillance footage for Yuen Long and Prince Edward attacks)
Inmediahk.net, December 30, 2019

Related:
江永祥:有人帶示威者入元朗 牽引 721 襲擊 否認最先到場軍裝警「逃走」("Someone brought protesters to Yuen Long" and led to 7.21 attacks, says police in interview; denies officers "fled" after first arriving on scene)
Stand News, December 30, 2019

社協:去年48宗在囚人士企圖自殺 應獨立檢討 (NGO received 48 reports of prisoners trying to commit suicide in jail this year, urges independent review of complaint mechanisms)
Radio Television Hong Kong, December 30, 2019

Pro-Beijing party scrambling to find 200 jobs and restore morale of staff crushed in Hong Kong elections
South China Morning Post, December 30, 2019

葉建源認為楊潤雄說法非常不恰當 將校長置於政治風眼 (Legislator slams Secretary for Education after threats that headmasters who support teachers suspended for protest-conduct could face disqualification)
Radio Television Hong Kong, December 29, 2019

Related:
Hong Kong protests: school principal hoping to bring warring sides together one sharing session at a time
South China Morning Post, December 29, 2019

早前稱自願參與 楊潤雄今指要求出版社提交通識教科書 (Education chief reaffirms "voluntary participation" while reports say publishers required to submit Liberal Studies textbook for review)
Radio Television Hong Kong, December 29, 2019

All I want for Christmas is a free Hong Kong: how activists used festive cards to get the word out
Hong Kong Free Press, December 29, 2019

Hong Kong district council elections: will victories for three openly gay candidates pave the way for improved LGBT rights in the city?
South China Morning Post, December 29, 2019

Taiwan seeking legal help from Hong Kong has ‘nothing to do with politics’
South China Morning Post, December 29, 2019

The Hong Kong resistance is only just getting started
Quartz, December 28, 2019

Hong Kong police paid $17 million in allowances related to protest
Hong Kong Free Press, December 28, 2019

In Hong Kong, local entrepreneurs champion the pro-democracy cause
Hong Kong Free Press, December 28, 2019

Hong Kong's year in seven intense emotions
BBC, December 28, 2019

Commentary (评论)

Why China’s crackdown on academic freedom will backfire
South China Morning Post, December 29, 2019

Hong Kong’s election Catch-22: if the vote was valid, you’re disqualified; if it wasn’t, then you lose your seat
Hong Kong Free Press, December 29, 2019

The ‘Infinity War’ in the Streets of Hong Kong
The New York Times, December 27, 2019

India and China may have border disputes, but they find common ground on dealing with protests
South China Morning Post, December 27, 2019

Friday, December 27, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

新疆伊犁居民外出须填写请假审批表 (Residents of Ili prefecture required to seek "vacation approval" for leaving their village)
Radio Free Asia, December 26, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China Sentences Ex-Chairman of Hengfeng Bank to Death
Bloomberg, December 26, 2019

Wife of Jailed Chinese Rights Attorney Sees No Improvement in His Mental State
Radio Free Asia, December 26, 2019

新书揭露中国滥发“红通”迫害异议 (New book by activist reveals how China abuses Interpol Red Notice to persecute dissidents)
Radio Free Asia, December 24, 2019

上海维权人士宫敏赓因发表支持香港民主运动言论 遭行政拘留5日 (Activist in Shanghai detained for five days over speech supporting Hong Kong movement)
WeiQuanWang, December 23, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

Charter changes and book burning underline party control of education
China Digital Times, December 26, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

‘Grand Theft Auto’ is new battleground for protests in HK
Taipei Times, December 26, 2019

Huang Xueqin: “To resist tyranny, start small”
China Digital Times, December 23, 2019

Turkish protesters march in support of Uighurs after Ozil comments
Reuters, December 20, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Beijing envoy warns EU against ‘disastrous’ curbs on China companies
Financial Times, December 26, 2019

“宗教中国化”:编订社会主义《古兰经》? (A new Quran?: China to reinterpret religious ideologies in further push for "sinification of religion")
Deutsche Welle, December 26, 2019

Japanese Lawmaker Is Arrested in Casino Bribery Investigation
The New York Times, December 25, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

State Support Helped Fuel Huawei’s Global Rise
The Wall Street Journal, December 25, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

Union groupings square off for numbers match
The Standard, December 27, 2019

早報:港府指責《華盛頓郵報》報導偏頗,稱港警使用武力符合國際標準 (Hong Kong government accuses Washington Post of biased and "groundless" reporting, insists police use of force is in line with international standards)
The Initium, December 27, 2019

大檢控是「依法治港」抑或司法災難?——專訪大律師吳靄儀 (Interview with Margaret Ng: Are mass prosecutions "governing Hong Kong by law" or a judicial disaster?)
The Initium, December 27, 2019

Third day of Christmas clashes in Hong Kong as riot police and protesters roam shopping malls
Agence France-Presse, December 27, 2019

Related:
Hong Kong Protesters Aren't Taking Christmas Off
Vice, December 26, 2019

Hong Kong Police Harass Protesters, Shoppers, Residents With Searches, Checks
Radio Free Asia, December 26, 2019

【睇片 ‧ 曲線證常濫捕?】大埔蒙面便衣警被當示威者 防暴警一度箍頸、推牆制服「自己友」(Video: riot police attack undercover police by mistake)
Stand News, December 26, 2019

【睇片】被警刻意公開身份證資料 《立場》記者晚上再遭指揮官指罵「認得你、搞事、黑記、依間報館有問題」("Problematic tabloid": Stand News reporter targeted by police commander again after officer reveals journalist's HKID to livestream)
Stand News, December 27, 2019

Related:
Privacy chief says grounds for complaint after cop shows reporters’ Hong Kong ID card to cameras
Hong Kong Free Press, December 27, 2019

反對政治迫害印傭 Yuli 500名巿民團結抗爭 (500 Hong Kongers rally in support of deported Indonesian domestic worker)
Inmediahk.net, December 25, 2019

“不敢再回去”:香港书商在台湾的流亡人生 ("I don't dare return": A life in exile for Hong Kong bookseller in Taiwan)
The New York Times, December 24, 2019

「Be water」成金融時報年度字詞:港示威者策略影響各地示威 ("Be water" crowned word of the year for influence on global protests)
Ming Pao, December 23, 2019

Related:
Year in a word: Be water
Financial Times, December 21, 2019

Commentary (评论)

China cannot just rely on its economic might to silence the growing army of critics
South China Morning Post, December 27, 2019

所以,台灣真的需要《反滲透法》嗎?(Does Taiwan need an anti-infiltration law?)
The News Lens, December 27, 2019

《妖風:全球民主危機與反擊之道》:中國「銳實力」,媒體、大學、政商與慈善無聲入侵 (Ill Winds: China's sharp power is infiltrating media, universities, charities and polit-business spheres)
The News Lens, December 27, 2019

Star Wars: How Taiwan’s Celebrities Became Pawns in the Cross-Strait Struggle
The Diplomat, December 26, 2019

中国的新民间宗教
China's New Civil Religion
The New York Times, December 23, 2019

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

Chinese ambassador refutes US claims about Xinjiang
Uprising Today, December 26, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China set to abolish forced labour detention system for sex workers
South China Morning Post, December 26, 2019

Concerns Grow For Disappeared Chinese Rights Activists At Christmas
Radio Free Asia, December 25, 2019

Chinese transgender graduates struggle to obtain new degree certificates after surgery
South China Morning Post, December 24, 2019

Tesco圣诞卡疑案:中国否认强制外籍罪犯劳动
Tesco Christmas card factory in China denies 'forced labour'
BBC, December 23, 2019

Related:
Chinese prison in Tesco scandal offers ‘re-education’, and served pizza at Christmas, its boss says
South China Morning Post, December 25, 2019

Ex-inmate hits back at China ‘lies’ over prison labour row
Hong Kong Free Press, December 24, 2019

Single Chinese woman sues hospital over refusal to freeze eggs
Al Jazeera, December 25, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

Colours of the Mountain author Da Chen dies at 57
South China Morning Post, December 25, 2019

Sonny Bill Williams: Rugby star latest to criticise China over Uighurs
BBC News, December 23, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Women in China say #MeToo on broader range of issues in 2019
South China Morning Post, December 25, 2019

Related:
They Said #MeToo. Now They Are Being Sued.
The New York Times, December 26, 2019

China Bans Christmas Gatherings Among Its Christians
Radio Free Asia, December 24, 2019

China's Meituan vows improvements after delivery man kills supermarket worker
Reuters, December 23, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China releases footage of live fire drills as it warns over fresh Hong Kong protests
The Telegraph, December 25, 2019

South Korea rejects China’s version of President Moon’s Hong Kong remarks
South China Morning Post, December 25, 2019

China warns any attempts to 'interfere' in Hong Kong are 'doomed to fail' in end of year message
The Independent, December 24, 2019

Related:
In call with Trump, China's Xi says US interfering in its affairs
Al Jazeera, December 20, 2019

Indonesia Won’t Intervene in China’s Affairs over Uyghurs, Presidential Chief of Staff Says
Radio Free Asia, December 24, 2019

Japan's Abe urges Hong Kong freedoms in Xi meeting
Agence France-Presse, December 22, 201

Rights Monitor Group Tracking 60,000 North Korean Workers in Northeastern China
Radio Free Asia, December 23, 2019