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, November 15, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Homelessness has become a problem in China’s cities
The Economist, November 14, 2019

Stop Calling China’s Xi Jinping ‘President,’ U.S. Panel Says; Calling Mr. Xi ‘president’ implies China is a democracy, says U.S. commission
The Wall Street Journal, November 14, 2019

China’s digital currency is all about control
Quartz, November 14, 2019

Chinese government may have falsified organ donation numbers, study says
The Guardian, November 14, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

The Real Fight for the Future of 5G; Who Will Patrol the Borders of a New Network?
Foreign Affairs, November 14, 2019

Tech firm blacklisted in U.S. over facial-recognition allegations invited to Vancouver conference
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, November 14, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

上水昨晚有刀手斬人 警拒拘捕:係咪故意斬人我哋有保留 (Last night in Sheung Shui, police refuse to arrest attackers)
Inmediahk.net, November 15, 2019

Related:
Hong Kong protests: man beaten by baton-wielding gang in Sheung Shui
South China Morning Post, November 14, 2019

70-year-old dies after being hit on head with brick during Hong Kong protest clash
Hong Kong Free Press, November 15, 2019

就上水清潔工在衝突中死亡聲明 (Hong Kong Women Workers Association, Cleaners' Workers' Union issue joint statement on the death of worker in Sheung Shui)
Inmediahk.net, November 15, 2019

Hong Kong protests: partial reopening of Tolo Highway comes with conditions as activists issue election ultimatum
South China Morning Post, November 15, 2019

Related:
警方被指故意封吐露港公路至中午 謝振中:玩嘢並唔係警察,而係暴徒 (Demonstrators clear Tolo Highway at 6:00 a.m., police block it again by noon; in afternoon police press conference, police deny blocking the highway)
Stand News, November 15, 2019

千人迫爆愛丁堡為消防救護打氣 盼企硬勿向警跪低 (Thousands turn out in Edinburgh Place to support firefighters, paramedics)
Inmediahk.net, November 14, 2019

Police ban takes the parade out of Hong Kong’s pride celebrations, amid violent protests in the city
South China Morning Post, November 14, 2019

Suspend Hong Kong status in event of China crackdown: U.S. commission
Reuters, November 14, 2019

Xi says HK's most pressing task is to end violence, chaos and restore order
Xinhua, November 14, 2019

Related:
习近平:止暴制乱 恢复秩序是香港当前最紧迫的任务 (Xi Jinping: Ending violence, restoring order is Hong Kong's most urgent task at present)
Legal Daily, November 14, 2019

China Is Running Out of Options In Hong Kong
Vice, November 14, 2019

“Tear gas on one street and civilians walking on another.” In Hong Kong, the protests have exposed bitter divisions, even among friends and families
The California Sunday Magazine, November 14, 2019

Commentary (评论)

譚競嫦:推火車的人 (Sharon Hom: The train pusher)
Initium Media, November 14, 2019

The West is now surer that China is not about to liberalise; It is far less certain what to do about it
The Economist, November 14, 2019

Carrie Lam has lit Hong Kong ablaze. A failure to hold district council elections would be the final betrayal
South China Morning Post, November 15, 2019

China's Muslim Concentration Camps Paint a Bleak Picture of the Future Awaiting the Hong Kong Protestors
Byline Times, November 14, 2019

State-Led Content Manipulation Drove the Backlash against the NBA in China
Freedom House, November 13, 2019

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

海外维吾尔人权团体甄别出新疆500处集中营 (Overseas Uyghur activists find 500 camps in Xinjiang)
Voice of America, November 14, 2019

Related:
Uighur activists say China running hundreds more camps
Al Jazeera, November 13, 2019

新疆棉花与人权争议 多个跨国品牌面临质疑
Xinjiang cotton sparks concern over 'forced labour' claims
BBC, November 13, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

「疫苗寶寶之家」發起人 控尋釁滋事周五開審 (After 250 days in detention, Friday trial announced for founder of rights defense group for families affected by faulty vaccines)
Ming Pao, November 14, 2019

Tibetan Man Detained For Sharing Photos, Relatives Fear Torture
Radio Free Asia, November 13, 2019

Myanmar Family Struggles to Rescue Teen Daughter Who Was Trafficked to China
Radio Free Asia, November 13, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

Bytedance’s News App Disciplined for ‘Slandering’ Communist Hero
Caixin, November 13, 2019

China’s messaging against the Hong Kong protests has found a new outlet: PornHub
Quartz, November 13, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

More Than 70 Percent Of Divorces In China Are Initiated By Women
SupChina, November 13, 2019

Death Threats For Opponent Of Internet Addiction Center In China
SupChina, November 13, 2019

Chinese Anti-Bullying Movie “Better Days” Becomes Hit at Box Office and on Social Media
What's On Weibo, November 13, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Marco Rubio, sponsor of Hong Kong pro-democracy bill, claims ‘very significant progress’ on the pending legislation
South China Morning Post, November 14, 2019

Related:
China will take strong countermeasures if US passes Hong Kong bill
Global Times, November 13, 2019

China plans national park on Tibetan plateau
The Standard, November 14, 2019

James Soong joins Taiwan presidential race
Taipei Times, November 14, 2019

Czech-Chinese ties hit new bump as university shuts center
Reuters, November 13, 2019

China unveils outline for strengthening patriotic education
Xinhua, November 13, 2019

The deadliest form of plague has infected two people in China, and information is scarce
Washington Post, November 13, 2019

Sydney deputy mayor went to Communist Party training camp
Australian Financial Review, November 12, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

TikTok强调独立性 “一企两制”能否消除美国担忧? (Will "One Company, Two Systems" address U.S. concerns over TikTok's alleged censorship?)
Voice of America, November 14, 2019

Related:
US military warned about using China-owned TikTok app to recruit teenagers
Reuters, November 13, 2019

TikTok Revamps Lobbying as Washington Targets Chinese Ownership
Bloomberg, November 12, 2019

Canadian intelligence agencies at odds over whether to ban Huawei from 5G networks: official
Globe and Mail, November 13, 2019

Huawei Hands Out Billions in Bonuses for Staff Response to Sanctions
Caixin, November 13, 2019

China Probes Hikvision Billionaire Over Alleged Misconduct
Bloomberg, November 13, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

15-year-old struck by projectile at Hong Kong protest on Wednesday in critical condition
Hong Kong Free Press, November 14, 2019

Hong Kong police confirm man in black died after falling from height in Kwai Chung
Hong Kong Free Press, November 14, 2019

【抗暴之戰】警催淚彈釋二噁英鐵證 立場匡哥生「氯痤瘡」(Stand News reporter diagnosed with incurable Chloracne after exposure to dioxins released by tear gas)
Apple Daily, November 14, 2019

Related:
前線記者確診不治之症「氯痤瘡」,正視催淚彈毒害刻不容緩 (Frontline journalist diagnosed with Chloracne: Hong Kong government must promptly address harms of tear gas)
The News Lens, November 14, 2019

从避难所变成战场,暴力深入香港大学校园
Hong Kong Colleges Become Besieged Citadels as Police Close In
The New York Times, November 14, 2019

Related:
Hong Kong court rejects CUHK injunction against police entry and crowd control weapon use without approval
Hong Kong Free Press, November 13, 2019

【警闖中大】謝振中指大學已變兵工廠 質疑段崇智未守承諾欠港人交代 警單日開逾千橡膠彈 (Police claim universities have become armories for rioters; say CUHK headmaster who was tear gassed owes Hong Kong an apology for breaking promise of ceasefire)
Stand News, November 13, 2019

Hong Kong’s Education Bureau slammed for delay in suspending classes amid chaos in the city
South China Morning Post, November 13, 2019

Related:
CUHK announces premature end to semester as Hong Kong universities switch to online teaching
Hong Kong Free Press, November 13, 2019

內地在港交流生:被有關部門強行安排全部遣返 (Liaison Office sends mainland students home with transit tickets purchased in advance using personal information on file)
Stand News, November 14, 2019

Related:
回家之路像在逃難:校園成戰場,教育部將協助返台學生「專案轉學」("Like evacuating from a catastrophe": As university campuses become battlegrounds, Taiwan exchange students bid temporary farewell)
The News Lens, November 14, 2019

民建聯約見特首 倡成立協調中心帶領全民參與止暴 (Pro-Beijing political party urges Carrie Lam to establish anti-violence coordination platform to "let citizens participate in clearing roadblocks")
Radio Television Hong Kong, November 14, 2019

Chaos in Hong Kong as pro-democracy protests ‘blossom everywhere’
Agence France-Presse, November 13, 2019

Not clear why people are so angry: Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung
Radio Television Hong Kong, November 13, 2019

Commentary (评论)

A Hong Kong that writes off young protesters is writing off its future. Not that Carrie Lam will understand
South China Morning Post, November 14, 2019

Events in Hong Kong reveal the thin veneer of civilisation
Financial Times, November 13, 2019

Overseas universities, not trade war, are the front line of China's rivalry with Western democracies
South China Morning Post, November 13, 2019

Hong Kong’s gov’t thought it could bludgeon protesters into silence – they were wrong
Hong Kong Free Press, November 13, 2019

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

Letter to China: My Uyghur friend Zainur has been detained in one of your camps for two years
Global Voices, November 13, 2019

Expert Estimates China Has More Than 1,000 Internment Camps For Xinjiang Uyghurs
Radio Free Asia, November 12, 2019

Related:
Uighur researchers say China running more camps than known
Agence France-Presse, November 13, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China holding 3 Taiwanese over national security suspicions
Washington Post, November 12, 2019

記丈夫被關押兩年生日之際:是余文生律師違法?還是中國司法濫用職權?(Marking Yu Wensheng's second birthday in prison: Did he break the law? Or did the judiciary abuse its power?)
Inmediahk.net, November 12, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

全国人大举办人大新闻舆论干部培训班 (National People's Congress holds news and propaganda training)
People's Daily, November 13, 2019

Edward Snowden slams China censorship of his book, vows to put uncut version online, as whistle-blower calls it ‘a disgrace to the dignity of society’
South China Morning Post, November 12, 2019

被学生举报的中国大学教授后来怎么了 (What happens to mainland universities' professors after they are reported by students?)
The New York Times, November 13, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Australia: the campus fight over Beijing’s influence
Financial Times, November 12, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

U.S. senators push for vote on Hong Kong rights bill as violence rises
Reuters, November 12, 2019

EU, alarmed by rising violence in Hong Kong, calls for ‘complete inquiry’ into protests and police behaviour
South China Morning Post, November 13, 2019

Taiwan's President Hits Out at Hong Kong Police Shooting of Protesters
Radio Free Asia, November 12, 2019

中国地方政府违约激增令承包商损失惨重
Contractors hit as China local government defaults rise
Financial Times, November 12, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

华为美国高管:中国有能力在所有产品上植入“后门” (China has the ability to plant hidden functionality and malware in all companies’ products, says Huawei's chief security officer)
Voice of America, November 13, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong awakens to third day of unrest as morning commuters hit with delays
Agence France-Presse, November 13, 2019

Chinese University of Hong Kong student union head applies for injunction banning police entry and crowd control weapon use
Hong Kong Free Press, November 13, 2019

Related:
全球学术界联署 促香港警方停止攻击校园 (Hundreds of scholars sign global petition urging Hong Kong police to cease attacks on campuses)
Radio Free Asia, November 12, 2019

警闖中大惹民憤 示威者各區開花堵路 警全港狂射催淚彈  51人傷包括 10 個月大嬰兒 (Police assault on Chinese University of Hong Kong sparks rage across city; protesters set roadblocks in over 13 districts to hamper police reinforcements; Hospital Authority states 51 injured)
Stand News, November 13, 2019

Related:
防暴警強攻中文大學兩個半小時後撤退;網民發起各區示威「圍魏救趙」,市面狼藉 (Intense confrontation between students, police during two-day siege of CUHK; during negotiated ceasefire, vice chancellor shot with tear gas, water cannon fired after police announced retreat)
The Initium, November 12, 2019

Hong Kong university campus turns into night-time battlefield
The Sydney Morning Herald, November 13, 2019

Photos: Hong Kong police and students are fighting a war in one of the city’s top universities
Quartz, November 12, 2019

香港抗议者背后的志愿者大军
Behind Hong Kong’s Protesters, an Army of Volunteer Pastors, Doctors and Artists
The New York Times, November 11, 2019

Hong Kong protests: ‘special police’ unit will be unveiled this week to ease pressure on embattled force, sources say
South China Morning Post, November 13, 2019

Tear gas fired in central Hong Kong for second day in a row after protesters and office workers take to the streets
Hong Kong Free Press, November 12, 2019

香港中大变战场 中共政法委撑警:不开枪 要枪何用 (Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission supports shooting of protester: "What's the use of a gun if you don't fire it?")
Radio France Internationale, November 12, 2019

Hong Kong elections hinge on ‘return to peace’, People’s Daily says
South China Morning Post, November 12, 2019

Hong Kong activists denounce court ban on ‘violent’ content as a threat to internet freedom
Global Voices, November 12, 2019

Commentary (评论)

The Hong Kong Protesters Aren’t Driven by Hope: “We might as well go down fighting”
The Atlantic, November 12, 2019

Why Singaporeans don’t back Hong Kong protests
Hong Kong Free Press, November 10, 2019