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.

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Xinjiang (新疆)

China targets Uighurs with more prosecutions, longer prison terms: HRW
Agence France-Presse, February 24, 2021

Related:
China: Baseless Imprisonments Surge in Xinjiang
Human Rights Watch, February 24, 2021

家人被困新疆音讯全无 哈族妇女中国总领馆外集会 (Kazakh women from Xinjiang demand release of relatives outside Chinese Consulate in Almaty)
Radio Free Asia, February 24, 2021

Tibet (西藏)

The United States and China Are Fighting Over the Dalai Lama’s Reincarnation Plans
Foreign Policy, February 23, 2021

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Top U.S. Senate Democrat directs lawmakers to craft bill to counter China
Reuters, February 23, 2021

谴责北京将两名加拿大公民当谈判筹码 拜登与特鲁多商讨共同反制中国威胁 (Biden and Trudeau discuss counter China strategy, condemn Beijing's use of Canadian citizens as bargaining chips)
Voice of America, February 24, 2021

“运动员应知道风险” 美国会共和党领袖推立法、致函白宫反制北京冬奥 (“Athletes should know the risks”: House Republicans to introduce bill and draft letter urging White House to counter Beijing Winter Olympics)
Voice of America, February 24, 2021

立陶宛关注中国威胁和新疆议题 (Lithuanian parliament drafts resolution on Xinjiang and threats from China)
Voice of America, February 24, 2021

Access to Justice (司法公正)

The Chinese Government Must End Reprisal Against Li Qiaochu for Exposing Torture
Chinese Human Rights Defenders, February 24, 2021

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong electoral reforms: Beijing considers ‘breaking up Legco constituencies, scrapping super seats’
South China Morning Post, February 24, 2021

‘Patriots’ Only: Beijing Plans Overhaul of Hong Kong’s Elections
让“爱国者治港”:北京计划改革香港选举制度

The New York Times, February 23, 2021

Hong Kong Budget 2021: HK$8 billion earmarked for national security spending despite city facing record deficit
Hong Kong Free Press, February 24, 2021

Related:
Hong Kong is setting up a billion-dollar fund to implement its national security crackdown
Quartz, February 24, 2021

Hong Kong Budget 2021: Funding for public broadcaster RTHK cut by 4.6 per cent
Hong Kong Free Press, February 24, 2021

Hong Kong Democracy Activists Jailed Over Police Headquarters Protest Denied Bail
Radio Free Asia, February 23, 2021

China has tried to intimidate Hong Kong activists in Germany, Berlin says
Reuters, February 23, 2021

香港自由及法治指标创新低 首席法官刚上任民望插水 (Hong Kong freedom and rule of law indicators reached a new low, as did support for new Chief Justice)
Radio Free Asia, February 23, 2021

Commentary (评论)

不准獨立的電影:從中國大陸到中國香港 (From mainland China to China’s Hong Kong, independent films struggle to stay independent)
The News Lens, February 24, 2021

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Xinjiang (新疆)

Canada's parliament passes motion saying China's treatment of Uighurs is genocide
Reuters, February 22, 2021

Related:
China rejects genocide charge in Xinjiang, says door open to U.N
中国国务委员王毅驳斥对新疆的“恶意政治炒作” 称欢迎联合国人权高专访问新疆
Reuters, February 22, 2021

Hong Kong (香港)

Five-year election ban proposed for Hong Kong lawmakers, district councillors disqualified over improper oaths
South China Morning Post, February 23, 2021

歐盟稱不坐視香港改選舉制度 分析:或預告制裁 (EU vows to take actions on Hong Kong's aggressive election “reform”; analyst: Sanctions may be next)
CitizenNews, February 23, 2021

Related:
Foreign Affairs Council: Press remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell
EU Foreign Affairs Council, February 22, 2021

佩洛西:審訊李柱銘等民主派「侮辱法治」 應考慮所有追究中國選項 (U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: The trial of Martin Lee and other pro-democracy leaders is an affront to the rule of law; we must put all options on the table for holding China accountable)
The Stand News, February 23, 2021

Related:
Pelosi Statement on Trial of Martin Lee and Pro-Democracy Leaders
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, February 22, 2021

Hong Kong judge cites heightened risk of reoffending in decision to deny bail to media mogul Jimmy Lai
South China Morning Post, February 23, 2021

Hong Kong police arrest two more Chinese University students over attack on campus security guards
South China Morning Post, February 23, 2021

Lam confirms Hong Kong considering law against insulting officials and police, says free speech must be ‘balanced’
Hong Kong Free Press, February 23, 2021

「六四紀念館」今重開 設司徒華逝世10周年展 參觀者:擔心日後連六四紀念館都要關閉 (June 4th Museum reopens today, featuring special Szeto Wah 10-year anniversary memorial exhibition; visitors fear museum will be shutdown soon)
CitizenNews, February 23, 2021

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

与“人脸识别”较劲的教授:谁是最大受益者,谁就对风险负责 (Interview with the professor who contests facial recognition: The beneficiaries should bear responsibility for risks)
The Paper, February 23, 2021

中国率先开发动物个体识别系统,可精准识别“真假美猴王” (China leads in developing individual animal recognition system which accurately identifies monkeys)
The Paper, February 23, 2021

Commentary (评论)

六十年的中国观察 孔杰荣:习近平正播下反对他的种子 (Jerome Cohen from 60 years of China watching: Xi Jinping is sowing the seeds of opposition to him)
Voice of America, February 23, 2021

HONG KONG’S NATIONAL SECURITY LAW:A Human Rights and Rule of Law Analysis
CitizenNews, February 23, 2021

Related:
Hong Kong's National Security Law: A human Rights and Rule of Law Analysis
Center for Asian Law, Georgetown Law, February 2021

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