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, May 12, 2021

Xinjiang (新疆)

Drop in Xinjiang birthrate largest in recent history: report
The Washington Post, May 12, 2021

Related:
Family De-planning: The Coercive Campaign to Drive Down Indigenous Birth-rates in Xinjiang
Australian Strategic Policy Institute, May 12, 2021

UN: Governments Should Urge Xinjiang Inquiry
Human Rights Watch, May 12, 2021

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Chinese authorities must immediately end their prosecution of citizen journalists
Chinese Human Rights Defenders, May 11, 2021

人权律师余文生遭羁押1206天后 首次获准家属探视 (Human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng is allowed family visit for the first time in 1,206 days of detention)
Radio Free Asia, May 12, 2021

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

成都中学生坠亡引众怒 警方打压已成白色恐怖 (Death of Chengdu middle schooler draws public outrage; police suppression turns into white terror)
Radio Free Asia, May 11, 2021

悼念汶川地震遇難學生 家長按習俗燃點炮仗遭阻止 (Police stops parents from lighting firecrackers to commemorate students who died in 2008 Wenchuan earthquake)
Radio Television Hong Kong, May 12, 2021

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Running Defense for China's Global Media Push
China Media Project, May 12, 2021

Related:
Army of Fake Fans Online Boosts China's Global Messaging
美联社调查:网上假粉丝大军提升中国全球信息传递能力
Associated Press, May 11, 2021

China has used pandemic to boost global image, report says
The Guardian, May 12, 2021

Related:
China: The Covid-19 Story: Unmasking China’s Global Strategy
International Federation of Journalists, May 12, 2021

China TV Network Accounts for Bulk of Beijing's Influence Spending in US
《外国代理人登记法》文件显示:电视占北京在美宣传影响活动开支大头
Voice of America, May 12, 2021

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

国家网信办:《汽车数据安全管理若干规定》公开征求意见 (China CAC seeks public comments on draft of Certain Provisions of the Management of Vehicle Data Security)
Beijing News, May 12, 2021

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong lawmakers pass bill requiring public officers to pledge allegiance to gov’t; four district councillors to be ousted
Hong Kong Free Press, May 12, 2021

More pro-democracy Hong Kong politicians quit district council posts
Hong Kong Free Press, May 12, 2021

Related:
【區議員宣誓】逾百區議員傾向宣誓 已有 30 人表態不宣誓或辭職 民主派暫仍主導 17區議會(Over 100 district councilors will take oath, 30 will quit; Pro-democratic camp still controls 17 district councils)
Stand News, May 12, 2021

民主黨建議黨內區議員宣誓 民協全數區議員都會宣誓(Democratic Party suggests its members take oath; all district councilors of Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood will take oath)
Radio Television Hong Kong, May 12, 2021

區議員宣誓】再多兩人請辭 屯門區議員馬旗批國安紅線「飄移」 葵青區議員黃潤達憂不愛國成「罪行」(Kwai Tsing district councilor Ivan Wong and Tuen Mun district councilor Ma Kee quits in fear of shifting national security redlines)
Stand News, May 12, 2021

涉 47 人案被起訴 鄭達鴻、張可森、伍健偉辭任區議員(Among the 47 pro-democracy figures charged under the National Security Law, three more district councilors—Tat Cheng, Ng Kin-wai and Cheung Ho-sum—quit their posts)
Stand News, May 12, 2021

Top Hong Kong national security officer under investigation
The Washington Post, May 12, 2021

Related:
Organised crime bureau probes head of national security police over massage parlour scandal; police chief will not resign
Hong Kong Free Press, May 12, 2021

Hong Kong’s proposed doxxing law is too broad and more safeguards are needed, legal experts say
South China Morning Post, May 12, 2021

Shenzhen and Guangdong new landing spots for civil servants
The Standard, May 12, 2021

More American Chamber of Commerce members say they are considering leaving Hong Kong, with many citing national security law
South China Morning Post, May 12, 2021

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Xinjiang (新疆)

China demands cancellation of UN meeting on Uyghurs
Agence France-Presse, May 11, 2021

Record numbers of Chinese granted refugee status in Japan
South China Morning Post, May 11, 2021

Another report of reproductive oppression in Xinjiang
SupChina, May 10, 2021

China Targets Muslim Women in Push to Suppress Births in Xinjiang
中国强迫穆斯林女性节育以降低出生率

The New York Times, May 11, 2021

Access to Information (公众知情权)

2 face trial as China enforces online control amid pandemic
Associated Press, May 11, 2021

备份疫情被删文章惹祸 “端点星”案审结 (Trial ended for Chen Mei and Cai Wei, volunteers of Terminus2049, archive of censored COVID materials)
Radio Free Asia, May 11, 2021

China deletes 2 million online posts for ‘historical nihilism’ as Communist Party centenary nears
South China Morning Post, May 11, 2021

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China’s ‘Long Term Time Bomb’: Falling Births Drive Slow Population Growth
中国公布人口普查结果:出生率下降,老龄化加剧

The New York Times, May 11, 2021

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China app giant Meituan tumbles after CEO's poetic swipe at officials
Agence France-Presse, May 11, 2021

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong police consider next steps against opposition group after it fails to cooperate with investigation
South China Morning Post, May 11, 2021

Related:
鄧炳強斥假新聞引起國安罪行:想唔理都唔得(Police chief Chris Tang slams fake news as instigator of national security crimes)
Stand News, May 11, 2021

記協嚴厲譴責警務處長混淆視聽(Journalists Association criticizes police chief of obscuring the facts)
inmedia.hk, May 11, 2021

Hong Kong Tiananmen Massacre vigil to go ahead with ‘individual’ candlelit tributes
Hong Kong Free Press, May 11, 2021

More casualties in ranks of pan-dem district councillors
The Standard, May 11, 2021

Related:
【區議員宣誓】新同盟北區區議員林淑菁辭職 向選民致歉 (Neo Democrats Mary Lam resigns from North district councilor post)
Stand News, May 11, 2021

大埔區議員林名溢辭職ㅤ籲同路人韜光養晦ㅤ留有用之軀(Tai Po district councilor Nick Lam resigns)
Stand News, May 11, 2021

劉珈汶宣佈退出公民黨 稱將於最後一刻辭任區議員(Carmen Lau quits the Civic Party and will resign as district councilor when term ends)
inmedia.hk, May 11, 2021

Hong Kong introduces new legal amendments to outlaw doxxing
South China Morning Post, May 11, 2021

Hong Kong leader attacks foreign media over coverage of ‘so-called peaceful’ protests
Hong Kong Free Press, May 11, 2021

Hong Kong protester ‘raincoat man’ wrote note blaming government, took out life insurance ahead of fatal fall, inquest hears
South China Morning Post, May 11, 2021

Hong Kong radio host slapped with new dirty money and sedition-plotting charges
Hong Kong Free Press, May 11, 2021

Hong Kong journalist injured in ‘drive-by’ baseball bat attack
Hong Kong Free Press, May 11, 2021

香港新移民抗争者妮珂返深圳探亲 至今下落不明(New immigrant activist's whereabouts unknown after visiting family in Shenzhen)
Radio Free Asia, May 10, 2021

Monday, May 10, 2021

Xinjiang (新疆)

China Targets Muslim Women in Push to Suppress Births in Xinjiang
The New York Times, May 10, 2021

China tries to scupper UN talk on plight of Uyghurs?
The Guardian, May 8, 2021

How Xinjiang human rights controversy is souring relations between China and the West
South China Morning Post, May 10, 2021

Uyghur Editors’ Family Members Charge Chinese Documentary Misrepresents Them
Voice of America, May 9, 2021

德美英等国筹办联合国新疆人权会 北京愤怒称亵渎(Germany, U.S., Britain and other countries plan UN meeting on Xinjiang human rights; China slams it as “blasphemy”)
Radio France Internationale, May 10, 2021

Related:
China foreign ministry says planned U.N. event on Xinjiang an insult
Reuters, May 10, 2021

Taiwan (台湾)

French Senate passes unanimous resolution supporting international presence for Taiwan
Hong Kong Free Press, May 10, 2021

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China: Immediately Free Poet Wang Zang and His Wife Wang Li
Chinese Human Rights Defenders, May 7, 2021

Access to Information (公众知情权)

‘China to restrict mobile app news notifications in Internet clampdown
Reuters, May 8, 2021

‘Are you sleeping well?’ How Europe’s China researchers are alarmed by efforts to stifle criticism
South China Morning Post, May 9, 2021

China plays down ‘leaked documents’ showing it discussed weaponising coronavirus in 2015
The Independent, May 10, 2021

Government Accountability (政府问责)

基督教网络空间被挤压 习思想登堂入室渗透教会讲道(Christian cyberspace is squeezed as Xi thought seeps into preaching)
Voice of America, May 10, 2021

美众议员推出法案 要阻止中共在美大学从事间谍和盗窃活动(U.S. Congressman introduces bill to prevent CPC espionage, theft at American universities)
Voice of America, May 8, 2021

2019年中国碳排放量已超过经合组织国家总和(China's carbon emissions in 2019 exceed OECD total)
Voice of America, May 8, 2021

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Meituan’s CEO is in the hot seat over a classical Chinese poem about book burning
Quartz, May 10, 2021

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong national security law: trial without a jury unconstitutional, say lawyers for first person charged under new legislation
South China Morning Post, May 10, 2021

Hong Kong protests: judge declines request to withdraw from riot case over ‘bias’, says defendants had lost focus
South China Morning Post, May 10, 2021

支聯會設六四街站 警方到場指未經批准籌款(Hong Kong Alliance sets up June Forth street booth, is warned by police over unauthorized fundraising)
Hong Kong, May 9, 2021

Two more Hong Kong democrats quit district councils while in custody pending security law trial
Hong Kong Free Press, May 10, 2021

Related:
區議員宣誓修例通過在即 公民黨周琬雯辭職 稱基於私人理由「明就明」(Civic Party member Eunice Chau resigns from Sham Shui Po district councilor post)
Stand News, May 7, 2021

尹兆堅、連桷璋、胡耀昌、徐子見、鍾錦麟辭任區議員 區議會網站顯示王百羽任期完結(Five district councilors—Andrew Wan, Dalu Lin, Max Wu, Andy Chui and Ben Chung—resign; Max Wu also quits Neo Democrats)
Ming Pao, May 10, 2021

【區議員辭職】尹兆堅、徐子見辭任區議員 今年共17人已辭職 區議員宣誓周三立會二讀(17 pro-democracy district councilors have resigned in 2021)
Citizen News, May 10, 2021

香港最新民调:近6成受访者反对修改香港选举制度(Survey: Close to 60% oppose electoral overhaul)
RFI, May 8, 2021

Related:
“We Hongkongers Survey” press conference cum mini-policy forum about Electoral Reform
「我們香港人計劃」有關選舉制度之新聞發佈會暨小型政策論壇
Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute, May 7, 2021

Hong Kong pulls more democracy books from library shelves citing security law concerns
Hong Kong Free Press, May 10, 2021

Four in 10 Hong Kong teachers want to leave the profession, most of them blame political pressure, survey finds
South China Morning Post, May 9, 2021

Related:
近兩成教師有計劃離開本港教育界 教協促政府改善施政,停止干預教育界(Nearly 20% teachers plan to leave education sector; Teachers' Union urges gov't to improve governance and stop interfering)
Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union, May 9, 2021

UK university tells lecturers not to record classes about Hong Kong and China, citing security law risks
Hong Kong Free Press, May 10, 2021

Publishing, Media Takeovers Part of China's Two-Pronged Grip on Hong Kong
Radio Free Asia, May 10, 2021

Mainland Chinese lawyer delisted after taking up Hong Kong fugitives case barred from leaving country to join US fellowship programme
South China Morning Post, May 9, 2021

Commentary (评论)

Is Hong Kong facing an education crisis? Curriculum changes, ‘red lines’ and families rushing to leave
South China Morning Post, May 9, 2021

When Covid Hit, China Was Ready to Tell Its Version of the Story
中国正如何改变全球媒体格局?

The New York Times, May 10, 2021

“汉人是中国的白人吗?”:美国种族议题引发部分汉人反思(“Are Han Chinese the whites of China?”: American racial issues prompt reflections)
Voice of America, May 9, 2021