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.

Monday, January 27, 2020

Access to Justice (司法公正)

In Japan, fears grow that Chinese academic has been detained on the mainland’
South China Morning Post, January 27, 2020

Wife of Detained Chinese Rights Lawyer: 'I Can Afford to Spend All my Spare Time Telling The World About This'
Radio Free Asia, January 24, 2020

Access to Information (信息公开)

Chinese gov’t-backed media turns focus away from deadly pneumonia outbreak
Hong Kong Free Press, January 25, 2020

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Why China’s LGBT hide their identities at Lunar New Year
BBC News, January 25, 2020

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Mayor of China's Wuhan says city's governance 'not good enough' as virus spreads
Reuters, January 27, 2020

Related:
Wuhan Coronavirus: China Plays the Blame Game: With the Wuhan government to take the blame, the central leadership is unscathed by the coronavirus outbreak
The Diplomat, January 27, 2020

Citizens from Chinese city on lockdown roar ‘Beijing has abandoned Wuhan!’
Global Voices, January 26, 2020

Myanmar warns sanctions over Rohingya genocide will push it closer to China and dismisses ‘debt trap’ concerns
South China Morning Post, January 27, 2020

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China wakes up to wide web of online data leaks and privacy concerns
South China Morning Post, January 27, 2020

Hong Kong (香港)

Wuhan coronavirus: Fear of infection, lack of consultation drive defiance over quarantine plan in Hong Kong border town
South China Morning Post, January 27, 2020

Related:
In Pictures: Proposed Hong Kong virus quarantine building firebombed during protest
Channel News Asia, January 26, 2020

Hong Kong declares Wuhan virus outbreak ’emergency’ – the highest warning tier
Hong Kong Free Press, January 25, 2020

More than 80 radical protesters wanted by Hong Kong police have taken refuge beyond their reach in Taiwan
South China Morning Post, January 27, 2020

Hong Kong action choreographer linked to bomb plot, charged with possessing array of weapons
South China Morning Post, January 26, 2020

Hong Kong protests: applications pour in for government cash to research city’s civil unrest
South China Morning Post, January 26, 2020

Hong Kong protests: tear gas fired on first day of Lunar New Year as crowd gathers to mark fourth anniversary of Mong Kok riot
South China Morning Post, January 25, 2020

Commentary (评论)

Goodbye, by-elections: Hong Kong’s gov’t is weeding out undesirable candidates
Hong Kong Free Press, January 27, 2020

Is China still on an anti-corruption road to nowhere, despite Xi Jinping’s campaign?
South China Morning Post, January 25, 2020

A Historic Quarantine: China's attempt to curb a viral outbreak is a radical experiment in authoritarian medicine
The Atlantic, January 24, 2020

Commentary: Wuhan virus compounds challenges facing China
Channel News Asia, January 23, 2020

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Xinjiang (新疆)

Ninety-Year-Old Uyghur Imam Confirmed Detained in Xinjiang But Condition Unknown
Radio Free Asia, January 22, 2020

Access to Justice (司法公正)

山西维权人士郝劲松涉寻衅滋事诽谤遭逮捕 (Shanxi rights activist Hao Jinsong formally arrested on charges of picking quarrels and libel)
Radio Free Asia, January 22, 2020

Access to Information (信息公开)

疫情恶化 “造谣”网民获从轻发落 (Citizens arrested for "spreading rumors" about Wuhan pneumonia receive light penalties as outbreak worsens)
Radio Free Asia, January 22, 2020

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

加拿大香港联盟成立 提五大诉求抗中国暴政和渗透 (Canadian groups form "Alliance Canada Hong Kong" to support Hong Kong protests, urge use of Magnitsky Act to sanction Chinese officials)
Radio Free Asia, January 22, 2020

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Coronavirus: Wuhan to shut public transport over outbreak
BBC, January 23, 2020

Related:
China coronavirus: as travel ban is issued for Wuhan, many in city rush to escape
South China Morning Post, January 23, 2020

China Silences Critics Over Deadly Virus Outbreak
The New York Times, January 22, 2020

Tsai urges WHO to include Taiwan after Wuhan virus case confirmed
Channel News Asia, January 22, 2020

Related:
As Wuhan Virus Spreads, Taiwan Has No Say at WHO
Foreign Policy, January 22, 2020

中國外交部:關心台胞健康 參與世衛活動須按一中原則 (Ministry of Foreign Affairs says China cares about the health of Taiwan comrades, but Taiwan's participation in WHO must be based on One-China principle)
Radio Television Hong Kong, January 22, 2020

武漢市實施佩戴口罩控制措施 不戴者或由公安依法處罰 (Wuhan authorities impose emergency facemask law demanding all citizens to wear facemasks in public or be penalized)
Radio Television Hong Kong, January 22, 2020

U.S. State Department Appoints Envoy to Counter Chinese Influence at the U.N.
Foreign Policy, January 22, 2020

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

市民穿睡衣上街遭“羞辱”,中国人脸识别执法引争议
Chinese City Uses Facial Recognition to Shame Pajama Wearers
The New York Times, January 22, 2020

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong Education Bureau finds protest-related breaches by teachers in 60 per cent of complaints
South China Morning Post, January 23, 2020

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam reveals she is ‘facing a lot of pressure’ to rein in journalists as protests rock city
South China Morning Post, January 23, 2020

醫療組織聯合聲明:武漢肺炎襲港 醫療組織促請政府立即拒絕旅客經由中國入境 (Medical workers organizations jointly urge Hong Kong authorities to impose border control in light of outbreak)
Inmediahk.net, January 22, 2020

梁美芬批政府未提供「公平選舉環境」 落選區議員擬作選舉呈請 (Pro-establishment district councilor who lost seat in November elections to raise election petition, criticizes government for not providing "fair environment for election" because of protests)
Inmediahk.net, January 22, 2020

鄧炳強叫市民唔好再講8.31:只有11.11同11.13慘案 (Police chief tells citizens not to talk about August 31 Prince Edward incident again)
Inmediahk.net, January 22, 2020

Commentary (评论)

How has Hong Kong lost its freedoms? Let me count the ways
South China Morning Post, January 23, 2020

Why Macau matters to Hong Kong: how ‘one country two systems’ turns into one-party rule
Hong Kong Free Press, January 23, 2020

Is Russia getting its model for digital authoritarianism from China?
Global Voices, January 21, 2020

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Access to Justice (司法公正)

广东维权人士李碧云被判刑四年 (Rights defender in Guangzhou, Li Biyun, sentenced to four years imprisonment)
Radio Free Asia, January 21, 2020

孟宏伟被判刑 中国式“反腐”越演越烈? (Is Meng Hongwei's sentencing a sign that Chinese style "anti-corruption" is growing uglier?)
Radio Free Asia, January 21, 2020

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

罗胜春访白宫:让全世界知道中国当局迫害 (Wife of rights lawyer detained since December visits White House: "We must let the world know about the repression from Chinese authorities")
Radio Free Asia, January 21, 2020

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Coronavirus: China unveils measures to rein in spread of 'mutating' disease
The Guardian, January 22, 2020

Related:
How political tensions between Taiwan and mainland China could hamper efforts to fight Wuhan virus
South China Morning Post, January 21, 2020

First case of SARS-like virus in Hong Kong – sources
Hong Kong Free Press, January 22, 2020

Sweden summons Chinese ambassador over criticism of country and media
Agence France-Presse, January 22, 2020

Hong Kong (香港)

林鄭:習近平保證不會收緊對港管治 (Xi Jinping promised not to tighten control on Hong Kong because of protests, says Carrie Lam)
Ming Pao, January 22, 2020

Related:
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam hails President Xi Jinping’s support for city as she rejects suggestions Beijing is exploiting the anti-government protests
South China Morning Post, January 22, 2020

旺角初一衝突四周年 警禁「香港本土起義」辦「勿忘魚蛋」集會 (Police ban all promotion, organization, and attendance of rally on Chinese New Year in remembrance of "Fishball Revolution" in 2016)
Stand News, January 22, 2020

被控煽惑非法集結及拒服從警命令 劉頴匡:據《公安條例》申集會之路將盡 ("The path of lawful assemblies under Public Order Ordinance is reaching its end," says Ventus Lau, organizer of lawful rally on Sunday now charged with inciting unlawful assembly)
Inmediahk.net, January 21, 2020

Hong Kong protests: did police use Israel’s Cellebrite hacking tech to crack protesters’ smartphones?
South China Morning Post, January 22, 2020

Hong Kong protests: hundreds gather at peaceful rallies to mark Yuen Long MTR station attack six months on
South China Morning Post, January 21, 2020

Related:
Police officers ‘received verbal warnings’ for holding reporters’ identity cards in front of live-streaming cameras during Hong Kong protests
South China Morning Post, January 22, 2020

香港大律師公會就成立獨立調查委員會的意見書 (Full text: Hong Kong Bar Association's Paper on the Establishment of a Commission of Inquiry into the Social Unrest in Hong Kong)
Inmediahk.net, January 21, 2020

大埔區議會通過建議保留連儂牆 政府部門書面稱不適合 (Tai Po District Council passes motion to keep iconic Lennon Tunnel; authorities skip meeting, deliver written dissent instead)
Radio Television Hong Kong, January 21, 2020

Commentary (评论)

制度性謊言下的武漢肺炎(文:呂秉權) (A Wuhan pneumonia outbreak under China's systemic lies)
Ming Pao, January 22, 2020

Beijing’s new man in Hong Kong must succeed where others have failed in explaining the city to his Communist Party bosses
South China Morning Post, January 22, 2020