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.

Thursday, September 07, 2017

Access to Justice (司法公正)

李明哲案將開庭 李凈瑜7日辦赴陸證件 (Lee Ming-che to face trial in Hunan, as wife will soon arrange travel document to go to the mainland)
Central News Agency, September 6, 2017
http://www.cna.com.tw/news/firstnews/201709065015-1.aspx

山东祝圣武律师被指涉嫌发表危害国家安全言论遭调查 或被吊销律师执业证书 (Lawyer Zhu Shengwu under investigation in Shandong for making statements that endanger national security, as Department of Justice looks to revoke his license)
Weiquanwang, September 6, 2017
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2017/09/blog-post_43.html

维权人士甄江华被刑拘 律师会见遭拒并受骚扰 (Rights defender Zhen Jianghua criminally detained and not allowed to meet with lawyer)
Radio Free Asia, September 6, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf1-09062017112120.html

黄琦案退侦 律师求见遭拒 老母忧心 (Prosecutor sends website founder Huang Qi’s case back for further investigation, as lawyer still not allowed to meet with him)
Radio Free Asia, September 6, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql1-09062017102954.html

云南当局以“邪教罪”逮捕、起诉二十余名基督徒 (Over 20 Christians in Yunnan arrested and charged of “sabotaging legal enforcement by organizing and using evil religion”)
Radio Free Asia, September 5, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shehui/ql1-09052017110712.html

Chinese debate medical rights after pregnant woman's suicide
British Broadcasting Corporation, September 7, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-41172675

Access to Information (信息公开)

Chinese poet Langzi detained after commemorating late Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo
Hong Kong Free Press, September 7, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/09/07/chinese-poet-langzi-detained-commemorating-late-nobel-laureate-liu-xiaobo/

Government Accountability (政府问责)

联合国人权专家敦促中国释放江天勇 (UN human rights experts urge China to free Jiang Tianyong)
Voice of America, September 7, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/un-human-rights-expert-on-china-lawyer-jiang-tianyong-20170906/4017914.html

Chinese general reported to be facing corruption probe off military delegation to party congress
South China Morning Post, September 6, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2109959/chinese-general-reported-be-facing-corruption-probe

安徽:查处6986起违反中央八项规定精神问题 (Anhui province investigates 6,986 cases of party principle violation)
People.com.cn, September 7, 2017
http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2017/0907/c1001-29520887.html

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

In quest for “ideological security”, China pushes to extend Communist Party influence inside tech firms
Global Voices, September 6, 2017
https://globalvoices.org/2017/09/06/in-quest-for-ideological-security-china-pushes-to-extend-communist-party-influence-inside-tech-firms/

Blocked in China, Facebook is said to seek a Shanghai office
知情人士称Facebook欲在上海设立办公室
The New York Times, September 6, 2017
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/06/technology/facebook-china-shanghai-office.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/business/20170907/facebook-china-shanghai-office/

Hong Kong (香港)

Petition to oust Occupy co-founder Benny Tai from university post attracts 80,000 signatures
South China Morning Post, September 7, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2110047/petition-oust-occupy-co-founder-benny-tai-university-post

Related:
何君堯收集逾8萬簽名 將再致函港大要求辭退戴耀廷 (Lawmaker Junius Ho collects over 80,000 signatures and writes to HKU demanding Benny Tai to be dismissed)
Sing Tao Daily, September 6, 2017
https://www.singtao.com.au/172-即時/163265-何君堯收集逾8萬簽名-將再致函港大要求辭退戴耀廷/

學生會堅守最後一張「香港獨立」標語 陸生多擁護言論自由 「香港本身就係一個大家都可以發聲嘅地方。」 (Student union stands by the last HK independence banner at CUHK, as mainland students support freedom of speech)
Inmediahk, September 7, 2017
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1051926

Commentary (评论)

China’s “super” anti-corruption agency set to repeat past abuses
Hong Kong Free Press, September 6, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/09/06/chinas-super-anti-corruption-agency-set-repeat-past-abuses/

Wednesday, September 06, 2017

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China to prosecute activist over support for letter calling on president to step down
Radio Free Asia, September 5, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/sichuan-huang-09052017124727.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

Why Australian universities have upset Chinese students
British Broadcasting Corporation, September 5, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-41104634

China censors discussion of North Korea's bomb test
British Broadcasting Corporation, September 4, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-41152784

网友忧朝鲜核爆,“氢弹”却成中国网络敏感词 (“Hydrogen bomb” gets censored on Chinese social media as netizens worry about the nuclear test in North Korea)
Voice of America, September 5, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/nokor-bomb-20170904/4014969.html

臨近選舉 Telegram失靈「澳門限定」? 竟要翻牆先上到 (Telegram goes offline in Macau as election closes in, and users need VPN to log in)
Macau Concealers, September 5, 2017
https://www.facebook.com/macauconcealers/photos/a.158212900914486.37247.153478958054547/1423428511059579/

北京下发中小学生“三年养成计划”:1年级小学生会唱国歌 (Beijing education authority issues a “three year cultivation plan”, requiring first graders to be able to sing the National Anthem)
Legal Evening News, September 5, 2017
http://www.fawan.com/2017/09/05/446911t185.html?kuaixun

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

湖北省潜江市近百民师在市教育局示威 (Nearly 100 teachers in Hubei protest at local education authority for social security and official status)
Weiquanwang, September 5, 2017
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2017/09/blog-post_41.html

石渠县藏人要求当局交代洛桑仁波切下落 (Tibetans in Sichuan write open letter to local gov’t demanding the whereabouts of a detained eminent monk)
Radio Free Asia, September 5, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shaoshuminzu/dz-09052017111449.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China seeks to silence critics at U.N. forums: rights body report
Reuters, September 5, 2017
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-rights/china-seeks-to-silence-critics-at-u-n-forums-rights-body-report-idUSKCN1BG0QP

Related:
The costs of international advocacy
Human Rights Watch, September 5, 2017
https://www.hrw.org/report/2017/09/05/costs-international-advocacy/chinas-interference-united-nations-human-rights

China’s rights crackdown is called “most severe” since Tiananmen Square
人权观察:中国打压人权“天安门事件以来最严重"
The New York Times, September 5, 2017
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/05/world/asia/china-human-rights-united-nations.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20170906/china-human-rights-united-nations/

南昌3家幼儿园疑似发生食物中毒 (120 kindergarteners in Jiangxi hospitalized after suspected food poisoning)
Xinhua News Agency, September 6, 2017
http://news.xinhuanet.com/local/2017-09/06/c_1121613998.htm

Hong Kong (香港)

Activists, academics and politicians establish independent fund to provide assistance to jailed protesters
Hong Kong Free Press, September 4, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/09/04/activists-academics-politicians-establish-independent-fund-provide-assistance-jailed-protesters/

BBC “disappointed” after Hong Kong’s RTHK replaces World Service with state-run Chinese station
Hong Kong Free Press, September 5, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/09/05/bbc-disappointed-hong-kongs-rthk-replaces-world-service-state-run-chinese-station/

Commentary (评论)

Chinese feminism beyond borders: Past, present and future
Wagic, August 24, 2017
https://www.wagic.org/blank-2/2017/08/24/chinesefeminismbeyondborders

A comprehensive bibliography of Liu Xiaobo’s writings
China Change, September 5, 2017
https://chinachange.org/2017/09/05/a-comprehensive-bibliography-of-liu-xiaobos-writings/

Tuesday, September 05, 2017

Access to Justice (司法公正)

广州诗人浪子的友人助印制展览图录被刑拘 (Friend of detained poet Langzi put under criminal detention in Guangzhou for introducing printing factory to him)
Voice of America, September 4, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/news-chinese-pen-urges-release-of-poet-langzi-and-his-friend-20170904/4014220.html

Related:
Chinese police detain associate of poet who tried to commemorate Liu Xiaobo
Radio Free Asia, September 5, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/poet-lxb-09042017113238.html

卖翻墙软件 判刑9个月 (Man sentenced to nine months in prison in Guangdong for selling VPN)
Deutsche Welle, September 4, 2017
http://www.dw.com/zh/卖翻墙软件-判刑9个月/a-40357228

维族被囚学者伊力哈木再获国际人权奖 (Jailed Uygur scholar Ilham Tohti receives another international human rights award)
Radio Free Asia, September 4, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/xl2-09042017110447.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

湖南广电”娱乐立台”被批党性不足 多个节目下架整改 (Criticized for focusing on entertainment and not having enough Party spirit, Hunan Television ordered to take down and reform many TV programs)
Radio Free Asia, September 4, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/yf2-09042017110606.html

电视剧管控进一步加强 吁“讴歌党国”宣扬主旋律 (Control over TV series tightens as Chinese authorities call for more promotion of the Party and the state)
Radio Free Asia, September 4, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/gf2-09042017110648.html

China to unleash flood of TV dramas singing Communist Party’s praises
South China Morning Post, September 5, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2109736/china-unleash-flood-tv-dramas-singing-communist-partys

China curbs online debate after Beijing condemns North Korea's nuclear test
Radio Free Asia, September 5, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/northkorea-reaction-09042017091744.html

China rewrites history with new censorship drive
Financial Times, September 4, 2017
https://www.ft.com/content/4ffac53e-8ee4-11e7-9084-d0c17942ba93

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Labor activist Meng Han released after 21 months in prison
China Labor Bulletin, September 5, 2017
http://www.clb.org.hk/content/labour-activist-meng-han-released-after-21-months-prison

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Senior Chinese military officer questioned over suspected graft: sources
Reuters, September 4, 2017
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-corruption-defence/senior-chinese-military-officer-questioned-over-suspected-graft-sources-idUSKCN1BF0Z6

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Student face and voice scans the new keys to Chinese university dorms
South China Morning Post, September 4, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2109640/chinese-university-tells-students-use-voice-and-facial

Hong Kong (香港)

為在囚抗爭者成立基金 目標籌得$400萬 (Hong Kong groups set up fund to raise four million HKD in support of the jailed activists)
Apple Daily, September 4, 2017
http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/realtime/news/20170904/57167297

Former student leader and ousted lawmaker Nathan Law lodges final appeal against jail sentence
South China Morning Post, September 5, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2109759/former-student-leader-and-ousted-lawmaker-nathan-law-lodges

Related:
羅冠聰就刑期覆核案提出上訴 (Nathan Law lodges appeal against his sentencing)
Radio Television Hong Kong, September 4, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1352302-20170904.htm

“The law favors the privileged”: Jailed democracy activist Alex Chow criticizes gov’t for “deceiving” Hongkongers
Hong Kong Free Press, September 4, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/09/04/law-favours-privileged-jailed-democracy-activist-alex-chow-criticises-govt-deceiving-hongkongers/

香港中大开学典礼校园多处出现港独横幅 (Pro HK independence banners appear in CUHK before opening ceremony)
Voice of America, September 4, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/news-pro-independent-banners-appear-in-uk-20170904/4014264.html

Guangzhou in 48 minutes? Hong Kong critics of high-speed rail plan urge pulling TV commercial over claim
South China Morning Post, September 5, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2109771/guangzhou-48-minutes-hong-kong-critics-high-speed-rail-plan

Commentary (评论)

Hong Kong’s autonomy is slipping away
香港会成为下一个西藏吗?
The New York Times, September 1, 2017
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/01/opinion/hong-kong-china-political-prisoners.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/opinion/20170904/hong-kong-china-political-prisoners/

Monday, September 04, 2017

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Widow of Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo “fighting to stay in Beijing,” friend says
Hong Kong Free Press, September 4, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/09/04/widow-nobel-laureate-liu-xiaobo-fighting-stay-beijing-friend-says/

Related:
成功與劉霞通話 野渡﹕劉霞希望長期留在北京 (Friend: Liu Xia expresses hope to stay in Beijing for the long-term over phone)
Radio Television Hong Kong, September 3, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1352088-20170903.htm

傳返回北京家 民運信息中心:成功通話半小時,劉霞哭泣,每天吃抗憂鬱藥 (Information Center for Human Rights & Democracy: Liu Xia cries over 30-minute phone call and says she has to take anti-depressants everyday)
Stand News, September 2, 2017
https://thestandnews.com/china/返回北京家-民運信息中心-成功通話半小時-劉霞哭泣-每天吃抗憂鬱藥/

Chinese rights lawyers fear tighter control after “lecture” by justice minister
South China Morning Post, September 4, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2109383/chinas-justice-minister-promises-harsh-loving

广东维权人士甄江华被警方带走及抄家 (Human rights defender Zhen Jianghua taken by police in handcuffs from Guangdong residence; phone and computer confiscated)
Radio Free Asia, September 3, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/arrest-09032017094953.html

福建周宁一干部挪用扶贫款放高利贷 获刑4年2个月 (Official in Fujian sentenced to 50 months in prison for embezzling poverty relief fund to become loan shark)
China News, September 3, 2017
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2017/09-03/8321050.shtml

Law criminalizing insults to national anthem passed by China’s legislature, with detention for offenders
South China Morning Post, September 4, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2109381/law-criminalising-insults-national-anthem-passed-chinas