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, February 22, 2021

Xinjiang (新疆)

Allegations of shackled students and gang rape inside China's detention camps
CNN, February 19, 2021

Taiwan (台湾)

Four Taiwan ex-intelligence officers charged with spying for China
Agence France-Presse, February 21, 2021

台湾军情局四名退役高官被控为中共充当间谍 (4 retired senior officials of Taiwan’s Military Intelligence Bureau (MIB) are indicted for spying for China)
Voice of America, February 21, 2021

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Chinese blogger Qiu Ziming charged over ‘malicious’ India border casualty posts
South China Morning Post, February 20, 2021

Access to Information (公众知情权)

华春莹反问为啥中国人不能用推特脸书?网民爆笑如雷 (Chinese netizens in stiches over Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying’s comment to foreign reporter: “Why can't Chinese use Twitter and Facebook?”)
Radio Free Asia, February 20, 2021

Government Accountability (政府问责)

White House: China And WHO Need To 'Step Up' On Investigation Into Origin Of Pandemic
National Public Radio, February 21, 2021

Covid-19 Was Spreading in China Before First Confirmed Cases, Fresh Evidence Suggests
新证据显示发现首个确诊病例前,新冠病毒可能已在中国传播
The Wall Street Journal, February 22, 2021

Hong Kong (香港)

Beijing official signals China-led electoral reforms for Hong Kong to ensure only ‘patriots’ hold power
Hong Kong Free Press, February 22, 2021

Related:
北京定調愛國者 民主黨指工作不變 支聯會:咬緊牙筋做堅持的事 (Beijing set to admit only “patriots” to Hong Kong legislature; Democratic Party: We will not no change our work; Hong Kong Alliance: We must stand our ground)
HK01, February 22, 2021

林鄭月娥:愛國者治港是「很低的標準」 (Carrie Lam: Patriots to rule Hong Kong is “a very low standard”)
Ming Pao, February 22, 2021

12 charged with rioting near PolyU campus in 2019; 15 others acquitted over National Day protest charges
Hong Kong Free Press, February 22, 2021

Hong Kong protests: two merchants first to plead guilty to rioting over Yuen Long MTR attack
South China Morning Post, February 22, 2021

Related:
【721白衣人暴動案】 持藤條木棍襲擊乘客至嚴重骨折 兩白衣人認罪 港鐵閉路電視、市民拍攝片成入罪關鍵 (7.21 Yuen Long Riot: Passengers suffer bone fracture from rioters' whips and rattan sticks; MTR and passengers' phone footage is key evidence)
CitizenNews, February 22, 2021

中国旅美民运人士发起“新黄雀行动” 援助香港流亡者 (U.S.-based Chinese democratic activists launch “New Operation Yellowbird” to assist Hong Kong exiles)
Radio Free Asia, February 19, 2021

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China Hijacked an NSA Hacking Tool in 2014—and Used It for Years
Wired, February 22, 2021

研究称中国黑客利用美国代码进行网络攻击 (Research shows Chinese hackers use U.S. code to mount cyberattacks)
Voice of America, February 23, 2021

Related:
The Story of Jian – How APT31 Stole and Used an Unknown Equation Group 0-Day
Check Point Research, February 22, 2021

China Censors the Internet. So Why Doesn’t Russia?
中国建起了“防火长城”,俄罗斯为什么不这么做?

The New York Times, February 22, 2021

被指用中国技术和服务器 翻墙到这里聊天当心隔墙有耳 (Clubhouse is shown to be using Chinese technology and servers; experts warn against surveillance)
Radio France Internationale, February 21, 2021

Commentary (评论)

China Is Preparing for Another Olympics in Beijing, Like It or Not
面临抵制冬奥呼声,中国人权问题可能改善吗?

The New York Times, February 22, 2021

中國搞「戰狼外交」是為了回應民族主義嗎?資料顯示因果關係是反過來的 (Is Wolf Warrior Diplomacy a government response to popular nationalistic sentiment? Evidence shows the opposite)
Voicettank, February 22, 2021

Friday, February 19, 2021

Xinjiang (新疆)

China Targets Muslim Communities Around the Country With 'Ethnic Unity' Policies
Radio Free Asia, February 19, 2021

US reintroduces bill to ban forced-labour products from Xinjiang
Aljazeera, February 18, 2021

Taiwan (台湾)

共和党参众议员再次推出《防止台湾遭侵略法》(U.S. Republican Senate, House members re-introduce "Taiwan Invasion Prevention Act ")
Voice of America, February 19, 2021

Related:
Taiwan Invasion Prevention Act
U.S. Congress, July 29, 2020

台大教授违法参与中国“千人计划” 台湾开罚 (National Taiwan University professor is fined for illegally participating in China’s "Thousand Talents Program")
Radio Free Asia, February 19, 2021

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China population: plan to lift birth restrictions in the northeast panned for not tackling economic roots of crisis
South China Morning Post, February 19, 2021

多个非政府组织联名致信拜登总统 敦促将中国人权纳入美中政策优先考虑 (In joint letter, NGOs urge President Biden to prioritize human rights in U.S.-China policy)
Voice of America, February 19, 2021

Realted:
Joint Letter to Biden Administration: Make Human Rights a Priority in China Policy
Human Rights in China, February 17, 2021

Access to Information (公众知情权)

中国提升新闻发言人人数和级别以强化宣传平台 (China increases number, seniority level of press spokespersons to bolster its propaganda platform)
Voice of America, February 19, 2021

Hong Kong (香港)

Security law: Hong Kong police arrest another CUHK student over peaceful pro-democracy campus demo last Nov
Hong Kong Free Press, February 19, 2021

Hong Kong’s Move to Overhaul Broadcaster Fans Fears of Media Crackdown
The New York Times, February 19, 2021

Related:
商經局檢討報告建議加強管治港台 記協憂編輯自主受損 (CEDB's review report on governance and management threatens RTHK's editorial freedom)
Hong Kong Journalists Association, February 19, 2021

Hong Kong protests: six cleared of conspiracy to riot and gather illegally, after judge rules lack of evidence
South China Morning Post, February 19, 2021

Commentary (评论)

Anti-Asian Racism Isn’t New
针对亚裔的种族主义并不新鲜

The New York Times, February 19, 2021

许颖婷:流亡者需扪心自问离开香港的意义 (Frances Hui: Emigres should ask themselves the meaning of leaving Hong Kong)
Voice of America, February 19, 2021

Thursday, February 18, 2021

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Two Arrests, Two Outcomes Tell a Tale of Xi Jinping’s China
孙大午的两次被捕与习近平的威权中国

The New York Times, February 18, 2021

三百多中国公民联署:尽快出台《政府法》惩治冤假错案 (Joint appeal by more than 300 Chinese citizens: Promulgate "Government Law" as soon as possible to hold those accountable for unjust prosecution)
Radio Free Asia, February 18, 2021

Access to Information (公众知情权)

A W.H.O. Researcher on His Trip to China Seeking Origins of the Virus
WHO调查团队成员:我亲历的武汉病毒溯源调查

The New York Times, February 18, 2021

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong activist publisher Jimmy Lai denied bail again
Associated Press, February 18, 2021

National security law: Hong Kong student arrested over independence calls at Chinese University protest
South China Morning Post, February 18, 2021

羅冠聰、許智峯視像出席加拿大國會聽證會 籲助抗爭者赴加 (In testimony before Canadian House Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, Nathan Law, Ted Hui urge Canada to provide assistance to protesters)
The Stand News, February 18, 2021

国安法如何威胁香港互联网自由? (How does the National Security Law threaten Hong Kong's Internet freedom?)
Deutsche Welle, February 18, 2021

拒絕宣誓 新公務員工會主席顏武周辭職 「無必要繼續自欺欺人地留在政府」 (Refusing to swear allegiance, chairman of Union for New Civil Servants Michael Ngan resigns: “No need to continue to stay in government, deceiving myself and others”)
The Stand News, February 18, 2021

Covid-19: Some Hongkongers shun gov’t tracking app over privacy concerns as new rules rolled out at eateries
Hong Kong Free Press, February 19, 2021

Forced to Pledge Allegiance, Hong Kong Civil Servants Wary About Future
Voice of America, February 17, 2021

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

爱沙尼亚情报部门警告当心"北京主导的被静音世界" 中国要求修改报告但被拒绝 (Estonian intelligence service warns against "silenced world led by Beijing"; China’s request for report revision is rejected)
Voice of America, February 18, 2021

Government Accountability (政府问责)

中国压制穆斯林行动延伸至三亚
China’s Crackdown on Muslims Extends to a Resort Island

The New York Times, February 18, 2021

中国民政部开展新一轮严打 “非法”民间组织 (Ministry of Civil Affairs of China launches new round of crackdown on "illegal" civil society organizations)
Radio Free Asia, February 18, 2021

Related:
民政部公布2021年第一批涉嫌非法社会组织名单 (Ministry of Civil Affairs announces first group of suspected illegal civil society organizations in 2021)
China News Service, February 18, 2021

China lashes out at Canada for signing declaration against arbitrary detention
The Guardian, February 18, 2021

Wednesday, February 17, 2021