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.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Efforts to split China will end in ‘bodies smashed and bones ground to powder’ says Chinese President Xi Jinping
Agence France-Presse, October 14, 2019

Inside a Brazen Scheme to Woo China: Gifts, Golf and a $4,254 Wine
The New York Times, October 14, 2019

Philippine Top Diplomat Apologizes to China for Tweets on Mao
Bloomberg, October 13, 2019

Beijing used ‘visa blackmail’ to try and stop Taiwan visit, US congressman claims
South China Morning Post, October 14, 2019

Related:
Beijing Tries To Bully Congress
Wall Street Journal, October 13, 2019

Both Taiwan Candidates Rule Out Moves Toward China Unification
Bloomberg, October 9, 2019

China’s Xi Jinping arrives in Nepal with deals, promises, and pressure
Quartz, October 12, 2019

Related:
China’s Xi Visits Nepal, Elevating Ties to ‘Strategic Partnership of Cooperation’
The Diplomat, October 15, 2019

Fears Over a Nepal-China Extradition Treaty: Agreement Could Threaten Tibetan Refugees, Activists, Journalists in Nepal
Human Rights Watch, October 11, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China's Huawei says open to 'no backdoor' agreement with India
Reuters, October 14, 2019

Apple Criticized for Sending Some Browsing Data to Tencent
Bloomberg, October 14, 2019

Related:
Apple Told Some Apple TV+ Show Developers Not To Anger China
BuzzFeed News, October 11, 2019

Tim Cook doesn’t seem to know how the Hong Kong app Apple removed actually works
Quartz, October 11, 2019

New German rules leave 5G telecoms door open to Huawei
Reuters, October 14, 2019

Chinese app on Xi’s ideology allows data access to users’ phones, report says
Washington Post, October 13, 2019

Related:
“学习强国”爆出后门 “老大哥”盯得越来越紧 (Backdoor revealed for China's "Study Xi" Party learning app)
Voice of America, October 15, 2019

Studying “study the great nation”
Open Technology Fund, October 12, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

US House approves Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, with Senate vote next
South China Morning Post, October 15, 2019

‘Fight with Hong Kong’: 130,000 gather to urge US to pass Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act to monitor city’s autonomy, organisers say
Hong Kong Free Press, October 15, 2019

related:
13萬人迫爆中環 為香港人權民主法案集氣 (130,000 gather in Central to rally support for Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act)
Inmediahk.net, October 14, 2019

‘Not feasible to relaunch a debate on universal suffrage now,’ Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam tells EU, according to internal report
South China Morning Post, October 15, 2019

Related:
【反修例】林鄭:目前回應訴求毫無意義 你沒法跟暴徒談判 ("You can't negotiate with the mob," writes Carrie Lam in internal report to EU representatives, maintains refusal to meet protesters' demands)
Ming Pao, October 15, 2019

Hong Kong leader rules out concessions in face of escalating violence
Reuters, October 15, 2019

強烈譴責警濫暴 now 引述受傷車長:押返警署後遭暴力對待 最少 9 處傷痕 下顎骨裂 (Police shoot Now news van driver in the head with beanbag round, beat him in police station; released to hospital two hours later with broken jaw)
Stand News, October 14, 2019

Related:
Hong Kong police apologise and vow to investigate case of Now TV driver hit by projectile and detained
Hong Kong Free Press, October 15, 2019

Hong Kong’s Worsening Press Climate
The Atlantic, October 11, 2019

Two young candidates running for Hong Kong District Council assaulted while campaigning on the streets
Hong Kong Free Press, October 14, 2019

Related:
【區議會選舉】黃之鋒等3參選人立場被質疑 選舉主任促解釋 (Returning Officer asks district council candidates to confirm political stance after posting protest slogan on Facebook)
Ming Pao, October 14, 2019

選舉主任要求黃之鋒回覆是否認同眾志「民主自決」主張 (Joshua Wong asked to confirm stance on "democratic self-determination" and whether he represents Demosisto in run for upcoming district council election)
Radio Television Hong Kong, October 15, 2019

香港知專公開陳彥霖出事當日CCTV疑曾剪接 學生街坊不滿破壞校園 (Hong Kong Design Institute shows security footage after 15-year-old protester found dead, students suspect footage was edited, school says original file lost)
Stand News, October 14, 2019

Related:
Student 'suicide' video triggers rampage on campus
The Standard, October 15, 2019

將軍澳市民追悼15歲失蹤少女 同學促校方公開閉路電視揭露真相 (Tseung Kwan O residents hold vigil for student protester found dead near shore, classmates urge school to disclose CCTV footage)
Inmediahk.net, October 11, 2019

【禁蒙面法】中年婦扯示威者口罩被摔倒 律政司證實為法庭檢控主任 (Woman who ripped off protesters' masks during march discovered to be court prosecutor)
Ming Pao, October 14, 2019

‘We will not sever ties’: Hong Kong violence prompts debate but no division among protesters
Agence France-Presse, October 14, 2019

Protester ‘slashed police officer’s neck’ with sharp object, amid clashes and vandalism across Hong Kong
Hong Kong Free Press, October 13, 2019

Interview: Advocacy expert Sharon Hom puts Hong Kong protests on the agenda in Washington DC
Hong Kong Free Press, October 13, 2019

Elderly Hongkongers protest outside police headquarters in Wan Chai in support of alleged abuse victims
South China Morning Post, October 12, 2019

‘They don’t deserve sympathy’: how a young police recruit switched sides to join the Hong Kong protests
Hong Kong Free Press, October 12, 2019

Hong Kong: arrest of 750 children during protests sparks outcry
The Guardian, October 11, 2019

Related:
【逃犯條例】19兒童事務委員會委員發聲明 要求會警方檢視處理兒童被捕者手法 (19 members of Children’s Commission urge police to review procedures in handling underage arrestees)
Ming Pao, October 14, 2019

Hong Kong Protester Says She Was Sexually Assaulted by Police After Being Arrested
Vice, October 11, 2019

Related:
Hundreds of masked protesters march in support of Hong Kong student who accused cop of sexual assault
Hong Kong Free Press, October 11, 2019

Commentary (评论)

【專訪】三個放火的少年 和理非怎樣變「火魔法師」? 武力邊緣上的抗爭 (The brink of violence: How three peaceful protesters became "fire magicians" throwing molotov cocktails)
Stand News, October 14, 2019

It’s make or break for Carrie Lam as she prepares to deliver her policy address
South China Morning Post, October 14, 2019

Can American Values Survive in a Chinese World? A new book looks at the China challenge for the United States, and China itself
Foreign Policy, October 12, 2019

What Just Happened with the NBA in China?
ChinaFile, October 10, 2019

Friday, October 11, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

Tashpolat Tiyip: The Uighur leading geographer who vanished in China
BBC, October 11, 2019

Family of Uyghur in Belgium Under House Arrest After Abduction From Embassy in Beijing
Radio Free Asia, October 10, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

In China, courts deny women divorces in the name of "social harmony," even if their husbands beat them
The Economist, October 12, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

担忧国际形象受损,中国为NBA事件降温
China Blows Whistle on Nationalistic Protests Against the N.B.A.
The New York Times, October 11, 2019

Related:
Nike risks being dragged into China NBA dispute
Financial Times, October 10, 2019

ESPN criticised over China-NBA coverage for using 'nine-dash line' map
Reuters, October 10, 2019

Minitrue: remove all reports related to the NBA from homepages
China Digital Times, October 10, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Tiananmen veterans view Hong Kong’s crisis with fatalism: They have seen history made before, at a terrible price
The Economist, October 12, 2019

How women’s rights crusaders find both government support and suppression of #MeToo in China
South China Morning Post, October 11, 2019

China’s N.B.A. Fans Feel the Tug of Loyalty Toward Beijing
The New York Times, October 10, 2019

Related:
Video: Protests in support of Hong Kong at Washington Wizards basketball game against Chinese team
Hong Kong Free Press, October 10, 2019

上載支持香港球鞋照遭取消資格 黎俊賢:感謝市民關心 (Freestyle soccer contestant disqualified from regional competition for posting Instagram photo in support of Hong Kong protests)
Radio Television Hong Kong, October 10, 2019

Translation: socialist core value humor
China Digital Times, October 10, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China complains about US visa restrictions
Associated Press, October 10, 2019

Hong Kong Unrest an Ominous Lesson on Chinese Rule: Taiwan Leader
Wall Street Journal, October 10, 2019

China Steps Up Fight Against Fake Data
Caixin, October 10, 2019

Solomon Islands joins China's Belt and Road Initiative, as leaders meet in Beijing
Australian Broadcasting Corporation, October 10, 2019

China’s Bangkok Mission Criticizes Thai Politician for Contacting Hong Kong Activist
Radio Free Asia, October 10, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Apple CEO Tim Cook defends decision to remove Hong Kong maps app in memo to staff
Bloomberg, October 11, 2019

Apple removes Quartz app in China
CNN, October 10, 2019

Google pulls Hong Kong protester role-playing app
Reuters, October 10, 2019

Blizzard boycott: Fortnite creator says he won't punish players for supporting human rights
Independent, October 10, 2019

Related:
Hong Kong Is the Latest Tripwire for Tech Firms in China
Wired, October 10, 2019

Trump Green-Lights Some Sales to Huawei
The New York Times, October 9, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong's metro, legislature open but more protests planned
Al Jazeera, October 11, 2019

Nearly a third of Hong Kong protesters arrested over past four months of unrest aged under 18, city’s No 2 official reveals, calling trend ‘heartbreaking’
South China Morning Post, October 11, 2019

【記者右眼失明】印尼傭工領事館示威 促印尼向港府施壓尋求公義 (Indonesian migrant workers rally outside their consulate to urge action on reporter shot blind during protests)
Stand News, October 11, 2019

‘I am not the only one’: Hong Kong student removes mask and accuses police of sexual assault
Hong Kong Free Press, October 11, 2019

Related:
中大女生稱遭警性暴力 警方: 將聯絡事主 至今無接獲新屋嶺性侵投訴 (Police say no complaints received after university student spoke publicly on sexual violence during detention, urge her to provide concrete evidence for investigation)
Stand News, October 11, 2019

【逃犯條例】清潔工會:清理水炮車殘餘物皮膚刺痛 反駁陳肇始稱工人獲保護裝備 (Cleaning workers union says no special gear provided for workers handling chemical residue from riot control weapons, lack of guidelines for evacuating protest scenes while on duty)
Ming Pao, October 10, 2019

特稿:肚落地流羊水被指「扮嘢」 20分鐘方上白車 被捕孕婦:產房袍半穿 男警闖入索資料 (Police officer accuses arrested pregnant woman of "acting" when her water broke, threatens to bring her to San Uk Ling detention center; male officer enters delivery room to obtain patient information)
Ming Pao, October 11, 2019

Hong Kong protests: police have right to remove masks from reporters and patients at any time under new law, top brass tell frontline officers
South China Morning Post, October 10, 2019

‘You’re not alone’: Hong Kong activists united over raising awareness about gender-based violence
Hong Kong Free Press, October 10, 2019

Commentary (评论)

郭志:義戰、私了、裝修 . . . 「勇武」的可與不可 (“Righteous battles,” "taking matters into your own hands," and "renovations": The dos and don’ts of Hong Kong's radicals)
The Initium, October 11, 2019

張可:從中國70年國慶,看「新時代」中國民族主義是如何生成的 (Studying the 70th year celebrations to understand the birth of "New Era" Chinese nationalism)
The Initium, October 10, 2019

Beijing’s simplistic narrative on Taiwan is fuelling tensions
Financial Times, October 10, 2019

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

Top US diplomat keeps up pressure on China over Muslim Uighurs
Al Jazeera, October 9, 2019

China ‘building cark parks and playgrounds’ over Uighur Muslim graveyards ‘to eradicate ethnic group’s identity’
Independent, October 9, 2019

Related:
Then and now: China's destruction of Uighur burial grounds
The Guardian, October 9, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Chennai: Tibetan professor arrested for planning black flag protest against Chinese president Xi Jinping
India Today, October 9, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

Chinese basketball fans wave national flags at arena in row over HK tweet
Reuters, October 8, 2019

Related:
美國球迷在巫師主場挺香港 挺港、維吾爾標語都被沒收 (NBA fans show support for Hong Kong in matches against Guangzhou team; kicked out of stadium, "Google Uyghurs" sign confiscated)
Liberal Times Net, October 10, 2019

Sixers Fan Claims He Was Ejected From Team’s Exhibition Vs. China’s Guangzhou For Supporting Hong Kong
CBS Philadelphia, October 8, 2019

All of the NBA's official Chinese partners have suspended ties with the league
CNN, October 9, 2019

Chinese state TV reporter Kong Linlin denies common assault over alleged slapping of UK Conservative Party member
Hong Kong Free Press, October 9, 2019

A Chinese Drama Is Digitally Erasing Its Scandal-Plagued Actors
Sixth Tone, October 9, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

European Parliament Shortlists Jailed Uyghur Scholar Ilham Tohti For Sakharov Prize
Radio Free Asia, October 8, 2019

Related:
人权奖提名:中国谴责欧洲议会支持恐怖主义 (China accuses European Parliament of "supporting terrorism" for nominating Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti for human rights prize)
Radio France Internationale, October 9, 2019

Netizen voices: This country does not need a second voice
China Digital Times, October 9, 2019

FIFA fines Hong Kong soccer body for China anthem protest
Associated Press, October 9, 2019

Who is Can Xue, the Chinese writer in the running for a Nobel Prize for literature?
South China Morning Post, October 9, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China blocks visas for human rights groups in tit-for-tat row with US
Telegraph, October 9, 2019

Experts Call For Vietnam to Sue China in International Court Over South China Sea Incursions
Radio Free Asia, October 9, 2019

Chinese hackers target minority groups, NGOs in broad-ranging cyber campaign
Tech Node, October 9, 2019

Draft revision to statistics law to better ensure data authenticity
Xinhua, October 9, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

‘Revolution of Our Times’: Hong Kong protester role-playing game suspended from Google Play Store
Hong Kong Free Press, October 10, 2019

Apple removes app used in Hong Kong protests after pressure from China
The Verge, October 10, 2019

Swedish tech firm Yubico hands Hong Kong protesters free security keys amid fears over police tactics online
South China Morning Post, October 10, 2019

Rubio asks US to investigate China-based TikTok for censorship
CNBC, October 9, 2019

NBA fans in China seek refund from Tencent as streaming suspended
Reuters, October 9, 2019

Hong Kong police say new hotline for reporting protest violence is still working, but Line users face wait after friend requests are denied
South China Morning Post, October 9, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong activist Edward Leung applies for permission to appeal 6-year jail term over 2016 unrest
Hong Kong Free Press, October 10, 2019

Related:
Hong Kong protesters stage peaceful rallies calling for 'liberation'
Reuters, October 8, 2019

申訴專員6至9月接逾千宗涉警隊投訴 前「二姐」交副手處理 (HKSAR ombudsman has received over 1,000 police complaints since June, investigations limited by scope of authority)
Citizen News, October 10, 2019

【抗暴之戰】公益金便服日傳統名校現黑衣人海 揮「光復香港」旗向白色恐怖說不 (Secondary school students wear black on casual wear day to fight white terror)
Apple Daily, October 10, 2019

拒警入商場 馬鞍山新港城5名客服保安員被捕 數百人聲援 (Ma On Shan residents rally in support of security guards arrested for attempting to stop riot police from entering mall)
Citizen News, October 10, 2019

Related:
Five security guards arrested for allegedly obstructing Hong Kong police from entering Ma On Shan mall
Hong Kong Free Press, October 9, 2019

香港物業管理及保安職工總會:警權無限大,人權被出賣——譴責警方濫捕新港城保安 (Security workers union issues statement condemning arrest of mall security guards)
Inmediahk.net, October 9, 2019

Hundreds Protest Arrests of Hong Kong Mall Staff Who Denied Police Entry
Radio Free Asia, October 9, 2019

Hong Kong police under fire after officer dressed as protester threatens residents from inside closed MTR station
Hong Kong Free Press, October 9, 2019

盲人烽煙中上街:我睇唔到都出嚟,人多先會贏 (The blind man at Hong Kong's protests: "I believe in strength in numbers")
Citizen News, October 9, 2019

Mental health in Hong Kong at its worst level in eight years, affected by ongoing social unrest: survey
South China Morning Post, October 9, 2019

就医反遭逮捕 香港示威者投奔“地下诊所” (Fearing that obtaining medical attention will lead to arrest, Hong Kong protesters turn to "underground clinics")
Deutsche Welle, October 9, 2019

Hong Kong Community College lecturer replaced after anti-protester comments prompt heckling and tense stand-off in classroom
South China Morning Post, October 9, 2019

Hong Kong protests: man with brain bleed and pregnant woman held in hospital after weekend of violence triggered by anti-mask law
South China Morning Post, October 9, 2019

Explainer: ‘Renovation’, ‘decoration’ and ‘fire magic’: The businesses targeted by Hong Kong’s hit-and-run protesters
Hong Kong Free Press, October 9, 2019

Commentary (评论)

Carrie Lam’s mask ban is an ineffective stick for violent protesters. Where’s the carrot for moderate protesters?
South China Morning Post, October 10, 2019

Commentary: Is China using tourists to extend its overseas influence?
Channel News Asia, October 10, 2019

The collapse of democracy in Hong Kong is the story of a very British betrayal
Hong Kong Free Press, October 10, 2019

China Has Played Itself
SupChina, October 9, 2019

China forces the N.B.A. to weigh value against values
New Yorker, October 8, 2019