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.

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Access to Justice (司法公正)

中国“吊照门”十年 维权律师生存艰难 (China’s rights lawyers face desperate times after ten years of “license stripping”)
Radio Free Asia, April 28, 2020

病情恶化恐无缘再见儿子 黄琦母亲撰写“最后告白” (Huang Qi's mother, in deteriorating condition, writes “final statement”; fears no chance to say goodbye to imprisoned son)
Radio Free Asia, April 28, 2020

Access to Information (公众知情权)

Lawmakers introduce legislation to combat global censorship, boost internet freedom
The Hill, April 27, 2020

武汉称新冠肺炎住院患者清零 有居民怀疑为政治任务而作假 (Wuhan declares zero COVID-19 cases in hospitals, residents suspect false claim for political purpose)
Voice of America, April 28, 2020

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Federal Government calls Chinese ambassador about comments on trade boycott over coronavirus inquiry
Australian Broadcasting Company, April 28, 2020

Hong Kong (香港)

Top lawyer asks government if Beijing could control Hong Kong’s prosecutors and judiciary, after justice chief says liaison office has supervisory powers
South China Morning Post, April 28, 2020

Decision not to reappoint opposition legislator Dennis Kwok to Hong Kong’s competition watchdog was based on merit, city leader Carrie Lam says
South China Morning Post, April 28, 2020

Hong Kong protests: more than 100 people gather at luxury mall in Central to stage singalong violating social-distancing laws amid coronavirus
South China Morning Post, April 28, 2020

聯合國去信港府關注反恐法例、煽動罪定義過闊 憂侵犯人權 (UN Special Rapporteurs voice concern over counterterrorism policy in Hong Kong regarding overbroad definition of sedition, human rights violations)
The Stand News, April 28, 2020

Related:
UN Special Rapporteurs’ Joint Communication to China
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, April 23, 2020

逾百區議員發聯合聲明 籲泛民議員內會勿退讓 (Joint statement by more than 100 district councilors urging pan-dem not to back down on LegCo House Committee)
HK01, April 28, 2020

Commentary (评论)

A decade after Chinese human rights lawyers Tang Jitian and Liu Wei were disbarred, much has changed – for the worse
South China Morning Post, April 28, 2020

Monday, April 27, 2020

Xinjiang (新疆)

新疆穆斯林进入封斋月 官方“请你吃水果”禁封斋 (As Xinjiang Muslims observe Ramadan, authorities ban fast, extend “invitations to eat fruit")
Radio Free Asia, April 27, 2020

Access to Justice (司法公正)

中国续打压新冠言论 北京三志愿者遭捕 (China continues to crackdown on speech regarding COVID-19 outbreak, detains three Beijing volunteers)
Deutsche Welle, April 27, 2020

China Police Detain Three Linked to Censored Coronavirus Archive
New York Times, April 27, 2020

‘A dream come true’: Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang reunited with family
South China Morning Post, April 27, 2020

Access to Information (公众知情权)

发文挺方方的湖北大学教授梁艳萍遭“校方调查” (Liang Yanping, Hubei University professor who supported writer Fang Fang in article, is "investigated" by school)
Radio France Internationale, April 27, 2020

Government Accountability (政府问责)

拒绝中国经济讹诈 澳坚持要求就新冠病毒疫情进行独立调查 (Australia rejects China's economic blackmail, insists on independent investigation of COVID-19 outbreak)
Voice of America, April 27, 2020

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

12部门联合制定网络安全审查办法,自6月1日起实施 (“Cybersecurity Censorship Measures” jointly issued by 12 government departments to take effect June 1, 2020)
Beijing News, April 27, 2020

网络安全审查办法 (Cybersecurity censorship measures)
Cyberspace Administration of China, April 27, 2020

Zoom不但涉嫌充当北京海外耳目还被指打压国内宗教 (Zoom—not only suspected of acting as Beijing’s eyes and ears, but also accused of suppressing domestic religions)
Radio France Internationale, April 25, 2020

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong judge barred from anti-government protest cases after Cultural Revolution remark about demonstrators, sympathising with Lennon Wall knifeman
South China Morning Post, April 27, 2020

太古城「和你Sing」 警限聚為名清場 狂斥區議員只為政治利益 (Police disperse Tai Koo protesters in name of social distancing, accuse district councillor of caring only for political gains)
inmediahk.net, April 27, 2020

Related:
In Pictures: ‘Time to return’ – Hong Kong police disperse protesters at shopping mall amid coronavirus restrictions
Hong Kong Free Press, April 27, 2020

‘Taiwan is a place with freedom’: Hong Kong dissident reopens bookshop in Taipei, defying Beijing
AFP, April 25, 2020

Friday, April 24, 2020

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China prosecutes first overseas national for Hong Kong interference
South China Morning Post, April 24, 2020

Residents of Chinese Cities Fear Ongoing Virus Transmission as Man Sues Province
Radio Free Asia, April 23, 2020

中国人权律师团律师:关于律师陈秋实、公民方斌被强迫失踪的声明 (China Human Rights Lawyers Group: Statement on the enforced disappearance of lawyer Chen Qiushi and citizen Fang Bin)
Weiquanwang, April 24, 2020

中国拒加拿大探监 特鲁多吁释放公民 (China denies visits to detained Canadian citizens, Trudeau calls for their release)
Deutsche Welle, April 24, 2020

西藏人权团体要求公平复审藏人森卓 (Tibetan human rights group urges fair trial for anti-corruption and environmental activist A-Nya Sengdra)
Voice of America, April 24, 2020

Government Accountability (政府问责)

专访王全璋律师:公权力操纵者总把法律夹带私货 (Interview with lawyer Wang Quanzhang: Manipulators of public power always slip contraband into law)
Radio Free Asia, April 24, 2020

Hong Kong (香港)

More arguments as Hong Kong’s gridlocked House Committee meets for 16th time and again is unable to elect chair
South China Morning Post, April 24, 2020

Community service for ex-Hong Kong lawmaker convicted of assault after using loudhailer near cop
Hong Kong Free Press, April 24, 2020

Commentary (评论)

After Beijing’s dizzying two-week crackdown, is Hong Kong’s autonomy dead or terminally ill?
Hong Kong Free Press, April 24, 2020

China’s Coming Upheaval: Competition, the Coronavirus, and the Weakness of Xi Jinping
Foreign Affairs, May/June 2020

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Access to Information (公众知情权)

China coronavirus cases may have been four times official figure, says study
The Guardian, April 23, 2020

微博大V“棒棒医生”因言获罪 成李文亮第二?(A new “Dr. Li Wenliang”? Hubei doctor is punished for criticism of government policy on COVID-19)
Radio Free Asia, April 22, 2020

中共审查延伸至Youtube?“财经冷眼”被封号 (CPC censorship reaching Youtube? "Financial Cold Eye" commentary account shut down)
Radio Free Asia, April 21, 2020

方方:“我最愿意在国内出版” (Fang Fang, author of Wuhan Diary: "I wish above all to be published in China")
Deutsche Welle, April 22, 2020

Government Accountability (政府问责)

澳大利亚呼吁世卫成员国支持对新冠病毒大流行展开调查 (Australia urges WHO member states to support investigation of COVID-19 pandemic)
Voice of America, April 23, 2020

经历桂民海事件和疫情 瑞典下决心关闭所有孔子学院 (Sweden to close all Confucius Institutes in wake of Gui Minhai incident and COVID-19 pandemic)
Radio Free Asia, April 23, 2020

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Pro-China trolls fake accounts to hound foreign media over coronavirus
The Sydney Morning Herald, April 22, 2020

Hong Kong (香港)

Dozens marking Yuen Long thug attack fined over ban
The Standard, April 23, 2020

《鏗鏘集》、now新聞《經緯線》反修例7.21元朗節目 「紐約電視電影節」獲獎 (RTHK, Now TV receives New York Festivals of TV & Film Award for Yuen Long documentaries)
Ming Pao, April 23, 2020

陳方安生:中聯辦從無監督權 促「兩辦」克制勿成治港太上皇 (Anson Chan: Liaison Office has never possessed power to supervise Hong Kong; urges HKMAO and LOCPG not to come Hong Kong’s overlords)
The Stand News, April 23, 2020