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.

Friday, October 08, 2021

Xinjiang (新疆)

NEW ACCOUNTS DESCRIBE TORTURE, FORCED LABOR FACING XINJIANG DETAINEES
China Digital Times, October 7, 2021

China’s Xinjiang faces hidden risk from debt-heavy XPCC, with spending tipped to rise after US withdrawal from Afghanistan
South China Morning Post, October 8, 2021

US judge rejects Esquel Group’s request to remove Xinjiang unit from ‘entity list’
South China Morning Post, October 8, 2021

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Luo Changping Detained in China After Criticizing 'The Battle at Lake Changjin'
The New York Times, October 8, 2021

人权律师常玮平遭陕西地方官报复,酷吏名单曝光 (Exposed: Shaanxi officials who brutalized rights lawyer Chang Weiping)
Radio Free Asia, October 7, 2021

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

湖南省怀化市托口水库移民集体要求基本医疗保障与养老社保 (Hunan residents displaced by Huaihua Tuokou Reservoir demand basic medical insurance, social security)
Weiquanwang, October 8, 2021

Government Accountability (政府问责)

CIA Creates Working Group on China as Threats Keep Rising
The Diplomat, October 7, 2021

C.I.A. Reorganization to Place New Focus on China
中情局将成立“中国任务中心”,应对中国挑战

The New York Times, October 8, 2021

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

微信回应“后台读取相册”:便于快速发图,新版本中将取消 (Responding to concerns over “background photos reading,” WeChat will discontinue quick image-sharing function in next app update)
The Paper, October 8, 2021

Hong Kong (香港)

17 opposition Hong Kong district councillors have oaths of allegiance challenged; 20 more disqualified
South China Morning Post, October 8, 2021

Related:
區議員宣誓|新界西及離島區議員宣誓17人須補交資料 4人缺席宣誓即時離任(Oaths of 17 district councilors from New Territories West and Outlying Islands questioned by authorities; 4 absent from oath-taking ceremony ousted immediately)
Ming Pao, October 8, 2021

Chinese emblem appears on Hong Kong gov’t websites under updated flag law, local emblem shrinks
Hong Kong Free Press, October 8, 2021

Beijing officials in Hong Kong urge public to embrace national pride, support integration with mainland China
South China Morning Post, October 8, 2021

Hong Kong's oldest university orders Tiananmen statue removal
Agence France-Presse, October 8, 2021

Chinese University Student Union ‘forced to dissolve in such an ugly way,’ ex-leader says
Hong Kong Free Press, October 8, 2021

Related:
中大學生會解散 民主牆遭圍封有學生批扼殺言論自由(CUHK’s “Democracy Wall” shut down following disbandment of students’ union; students call it strangling of freedom of speech)
Radio Television Hong Kong, October 7, 2021

National security law: police arrest couple, seize pistol and 92 bullets during raid on northern Hong Kong flat
South China Morning Post, October 8, 2021

Hong Kong public broadcaster RTHK refuses to say why it deleted story about proposed law criminalising insults
Hong Kong Free Press, October 8, 2021

曾被《文匯》轟「放生暴徒」 據報法官沈小民提早退休移英 司法機構拒評(Judge Sham Siu-man, attacked by pro-Beijing newspaper for light sentences to 2019 protestors, to emigrate to UK in early retirement)
Stand News, October 8, 2021

Thursday, October 07, 2021

Xinjiang (新疆)

Xinjiang exports rattled by coronavirus outbreaks in Central Asia as risks from US sanctions loom
South China Morning Post, October 6, 2021

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Indictment of Citizens Movement Advocate Xu Zhiyong — A Full Translation
China Change, October 6, 2021

Indictment of Citizens Movement Advocate Ding Jiaxi — A Full Translation
China Change, October 6, 2021

Chinese Labor’s 'Dark Web'
Protocol, October 6, 2021

人权公益人士广州遭抓捕 恐被控“煽动颠覆国家”罪 (Two human rights and public interests activists arrested in Guangzhou may face “inciting subversion” charges)
Voice of America, October 7, 2021

Counterterrorism (反恐)

After the Fall of Kabul, the US Needs to Reject China’s Narrative on Terrorism
The Diplomat, October 6, 2021

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Why China Is Alienating the World
Foreign Affairs, October 6, 2021

Hong Kong (香港)

‘Profound regret’: Chinese University of Hong Kong’s student union dissolves after 50 years amid pressure
Hong Kong Free Press, October 7, 2021

National security law: 7 Hong Kong activists, ex-lawmakers plead guilty to unauthorised assembly charges over July 1 rally
South China Morning Post, October 7, 2021

Hong Kong plans megacourt to deal with protest arrests backlog
The Guardian, October 7, 2021

New law could ban insults against all Hong Kong civil servants, not just police, city leader says
South China Morning Post, October 7, 2021

屯門社區網絡宣布解散(Tuen Mun Community Network announces disbandment)
Ming Pao, October 7, 2021

Policy address: requirement for Hong Kong teachers to pass test on Basic Law to expand to subsidised schools
South China Morning Post, October 7, 2021

Commentary (评论)

Why did Hong Kong need 8,000 police to help it celebrate National Day?
Hong Kong Free Press, October 7, 2021

Wednesday, October 06, 2021

Tibet (西藏)

New role for Tibet’s chairman in countdown to China’s Communist Party congress
South China Morning Post, October 6, 2021

Taiwan (台湾)

蔡英文今要北京克制避免擦枪走火 (Tsai Ing-wen urges Beijing to exercise restraint, avoid misfiring)
Radio France Internationale, October 6, 2021

Biden says he and China's Xi agree to abide by Taiwan agreement
Reuters, October 5, 2021

台湾防长:2025年中国将具全面攻台能力 (Taiwan Minister of Defense: By 2025, China will become fully capable of launching attacks on Taiwan)
Deutsche Welle, October 6, 2021

不顾北京反对 法澳政治人物接续访台 (Despite Beijing's objection, French and Australian politicians continue visiting Taiwan)
Deutsche Welle, October 6, 2021

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China’s Top Disciplinary Body Moves Against Ex-Security Officials Fu Zhenghua, Sun Lijun
The Diplomat, October 6, 2021

China’s missing #MeToo and labour activist pair held by police, family told
South China Morning Post, October 5, 2021

China Holds Thousands Annually in Incommunicado Detention to Get 'Confessions'
Radio Free Asia, October 5, 2021

Related:
“保护卫士”发布中文报告 揭露指定居所监视居住实况 (Report from Safeguard Defenders exposes the reality of China's designated residential surveillance)
Radio Free Asia, October 5, 2021

Locked Up: report on China's secret jails now out in Chinese language
最新中文插图报告揭露中国指定居所监视居住秘密监狱内部实况
Safeguard Defenders, October 5, 2021

Government Accountability (政府问责)

中共“人质外交”下 中外公民如何自保? (How do Chinese/foreign citizens protect themselves under CPC's “hostage diplomacy”?)
Voice of America, October 5, 2021

习近平继续进行大清洗 (Xi Jinping continues the great purge)
Radio France Internationale, October 5, 2021

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong Policy Address: Emotional Carrie Lam hails ‘new era,’ vows to bolster national security measures
Hong Kong Free Press, October 6, 2021

Related:
Hong Kong Policy Address: Lam’s speech was aimed at Beijing and not Hongkongers, say democrats
Hong Kong Free Press, October 6, 2021

Hong Kong Policy Address: Gov’t examining plan to allow Hongkongers in China to vote in Dec legislative election
Hong Kong Free Press, October 6, 2021

【施政報告】林鄭:積極推展23條立法、打擊假新聞(Chief Executive Carrie Lam vows to push forward Article 23 legislation and fight against "fake news")
inmedia.hk, October 6, 2021

Hong Kong police banned Tiananmen vigil ‘by default’, barrister accused of incitement tells court
South China Morning Post, October 6, 2021

Hong Kong’s top court adjourns verdict over whether ‘joint enterprise’ applies to rioting cases
Hong Kong Free Press, October 5, 2021

Hong Kong protests: China flag desecrator faces jail after court rejects defence he was affected by behavioural condition
South China Morning Post, October 6, 2021

Hong Kong social workers convicted of national security offence will be struck off under new government proposal
South China Morning Post, October 5, 2021

《立場》、《眾》等被拒出席「北部都會」簡介會 創新辦:非記者會,視乎情況邀請相關人員(Stand News, Citizen News and others are denied access to gov’t press conference on "Northern Metropolis")
Stand /news, October 6, 2021

Commentary (评论)

TRANSLATION: CHANG PING ON THE HONG KONG ALLIANCE AND THE FIGHT TO SAVE HISTORICAL MEMORY
China Digital Times, October 5, 2021

解放軍機接連擾台「破紀錄」,為什麼選在這個時候? (PLA’s “unprecedented” harassment of Taiwan—why now?)
The News Lens, October 5, 2021