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, August 24, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

上海:外逃24年的贪污犯罪嫌疑人倪小沪回国投案 (Corruption suspect who hid overseas for 24 years returns to China, surrenders)
People's Daily, August 24, 2018
http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2018/0824/c1001-30250055.html

It’s too easy to wind up in a Chinese psychiatric hospital, and far too hard to get out
China File, August 23, 2018
http://www.chinafile.com/reporting-opinion/viewpoint/its-too-easy-wind-chinese-psychiatric-hospital-and-far-too-hard-get-out

Access to Information (信息公开)

“护苗·网络安全课”全国讲师培训活动举办 (Office for “Eradicating pornography and illegal publications” holds training for teachers to raise student awareness)
Legal Daily, August 24, 2018
http://epaper.legaldaily.com.cn/fzrb/content/20180824/Articel06009GN.htm

疫苗受害者家属记者会被迫延期
China deploys police, “interceptors” to warn off, detain parents of substandard vaccine victims
Radio Free Asia, August 23, 2018
CH: https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/huanjing/yf2-08232018101435.html
EN: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/vaccine-parents-08232018120743.html

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

【佳士工潮】聲援團住處突遭防暴警清場 逾50名工人及學生被帶走 (Shenzhen police evict Jasic protest supporters from apartment, more than 50 students and workers arrested)
HK01, August 24, 2018
https://www.hk01.com/即時中國/226897/佳士工潮-聲援團住處突遭防暴警清場-逾50名工人及學生被帶走

Related:
Student activists disappear after police raid as China clamps down on labour movement
Reuters, August 24, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2161288/student-activists-disappear-after-police-raid-china

NGO reports custodial deaths, tortures in China's Xinjiang
Suryaa, August 24, 2018
http://www.suryaa.com/52532-ngo-reports-custodial-deaths-tortures-in-chinas-xinjiang.html

Students revolt over “Taiwan, China” switch for English language test
South China Morning Post, August 24, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2161167/students-revolt-over-taiwan-china-switch-english

The simple but ingenious system Taiwan uses to crowdsource its laws
MIT Technology Review, August 21, 2018
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/611816/the-simple-but-ingenious-system-taiwan-uses-to-crowdsource-its-laws/

翟岩民因穿“江天勇”T恤衫三度被传唤 (Rights defender summoned 3 times in 2 days for wearing shirt displaying name of imprisoned rights lawyer)
Radio Free Asia, August 24, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/gf2-08242018102403.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

What satellite images can show us about “re-education” camps in Xinjiang: A Q&A with Shawn Zhang
China File, August 23, 2018
http://www.chinafile.com/reporting-opinion/features/what-satellite-images-can-show-us-about-re-education-camps-xinjiang

Related:
UBC student uses satellite images to track suspected Chinese re-education centers where Uyghurs imprisoned
The Globe and Mail, July 8, 2018
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-ubc-student-uses-satellite-images-to-track-suspected-chinese-re/

网曝河南安徽强迫民众承诺放弃基督教 (Priest reveals Anhui provincial authorities forced Christians to sign declaration to abandon religion)
Voice of America , August 24, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/news-some-local-authorities-in-china-force-people-to-give-up-religion-20180823/4541253.html

U.S. “deeply concerned” after China denies BuzzFeed reporter visa
South China Morning Post, August 24, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2161124/us-deeply-concerned-after-china-denies-buzzfeed

Young son of Uyghurs held in Xinjiang political “re-education camps” dies in drowning incident
Radio Free Asia, August 23, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/drowning-08232018135551.html

中梵或将进入新一轮谈判 大陆教友不抱期望 (Chinese Catholics remains pessimistic at possible new round of China-Vatican negotiations)
Radio Free Asia, August 23, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shehui/ql2-08232018101133.html

Germany stops deporting Uygurs after asylum seeker is mistakenly sent to China, then vanishes
South China Morning Post, August 24, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/2161091/concerned-about-rights-germany-halts-deportation-uygurs-china

White House criticizes China over El Salvador recognition
The New York Times, August 24, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/24/world/asia/taiwan-el-salvador-china.html

京东发布反腐公告:4人被刑拘16人遭辞退 (4 detained, 16 dismissed: Chinese e-commerce company JD.com issues anti-corruption announcement)
Beijing News, August 24, 2018
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/finance/2018/08/24/501036.html

广东省湛江市委原常委、政法委原书记陈吴接受纪律审查和监察调查 (Former secretary of Zhanjiang CPC Political and Legal Affairs Committee investigated for serious disciplinary, legal violations)
Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, August 24, 2018
http://www.ccdi.gov.cn/yaowen/201808/t20180824_178408.html

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Waymo sets up subsidiary in Shanghai as Google plans China push
Reuters, August 24, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-waymo-china/waymo-sets-up-subsidiary-in-shanghai-as-google-plans-china-push-idUSKCN1L90BP

China’s surveillance network moves into the country to catch farmers illegally burning straw
South China Morning Post, August 24, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2161225/chinas-surveillance-network-moves-country-catch-farmers-illegally

National Security & Counterterrorism (国家安全和反恐)

扎西文色二审维持原判 法院:煽动分裂国家 (Tibetan education advocate Tashi Wangchuk’s second instance trial upholds 5-year sentence for “inciting splittism”)
Deutsche Welle, August 24, 2018
https://p.dw.com/p/2y631

Hong Kong (香港)

Airport breached safety regulations by granting special treatment to ex-leader CY’s daughter, court rules
Hong Kong Free Press, August 24, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/08/24/airport-breached-safety-regulations-granting-special-treatment-ex-leader-cys-daughter-court-rules/

Woman takes unprecedented step to advance LGBT cause in Hong Kong and sues government over civil partnerships ban
Hong Kong Free Press, August 24, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2161287/woman-takes-unprecedented-step-advance-lgbt-cause-hong-kong

Ex-leader CY Leung sues Stand News and university professor for defamation
Hong Kong Free Press, August 24, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/08/24/ex-leader-cy-leung-sues-stand-news-university-professor-defamation/

Related:
梁振英控告鍾劍華及《立場新聞》誹謗 記協:極度關注 (Former chief executive of Hong Kong sues media, journalist for defamation)
Radio Television Hong Kong, August 24, 2018
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1414405-20180824.htm

Commentary (评论)

We need to be careful about how we use the word “Chinese”
China File, August 23, 2018
http://www.chinafile.com/reporting-opinion/viewpoint/we-need-be-careful-about-how-we-use-word-chinese

美參議員將提「反斷交法案」:不只為了台灣,更防中國「有機可乘」(U.S. senator to propose “Taiwan Act 2018”: Not just for Taiwan, but also to guard against China)
The News Lens, August 24, 2018
https://www.thenewslens.com/article/102661

American moral indifference to human rights in China
Intermountain Jewish News, August 23, 2018
https://www.ijn.com/american-moral-indifference-to-human-rights-in-china/

從前他們追着人做結紮,如今他們求着人生二胎 (They used to chase people to do ligation, and now they’re begging them for a second child)
Initium, August 22, 2018
https://theinitium.com/article/20180824-mainland-birth-control-staff/

中国的精神卫生、强制收治和任意拘留 (Mental health, compulsory treatment, arbitrary detention in China)
Ftchinese, August 24, 2018
http://www.ftchinese.com/story/001079108?full=y

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China’s re-education camps for a million Muslims: What everyone needs to know
SupChina, August 22, 2018
https://supchina.com/2018/08/22/xinjiang-explainer-chinas-reeducation-camps-for-a-million-muslims/

Legislator says “hukou” system is squandering China’s labor
Caixin, August 22, 2018
https://www.caixinglobal.com/2018-08-22/legislator-says-hukou-system-is-squandering-chinas-labor-101317613.html

尘肺工人的困惑:我的赔偿金该找谁要?(Workers suffering from lung disease have no adequate avenue to seek compensation)
Worker.cn, August 23, 2018
http://media.workercn.cn/sites/media/grrb/2018_08/23/GR0501.htm

Ex-journalist questions legality of security checks
The Sixth Tone, August 23, 2018
http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1002808/ex-journalist-questions-legality-of-security-checks

Access to Information (信息公开)

China arrests three for fake reports about smog crackdown
Reuters, August 23, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-pollution/china-arrests-three-for-fake-reports-about-smog-crackdown-idUSKCN1L80CP?

“Single’s tax”: A hot term that is banned on Weibo now
What’s On Weibo, August 23, 2018
https://www.whatsonweibo.com/singles-tax-a-hot-term-that-is-banned-on-weibo-now/

Xi calls for better fulfilling missions of publicity work
Sina English, August 23, 2018
http://english.sina.com/china/p/2018-08-23/detail-ihhzsnec3025432.shtml

国家网信办:要让网络短视频充满正能量 (Cyberspace Administration of China wants short videos to be filled with “positive energies,” suspends Kuaishou for 15 days)
Cyberspace Administration of China, August 23, 2018
http://www.cac.gov.cn/2018-08/23/c_1123318088.htm

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Top Chinese Buddhist monk Xuecheng faces police investigation after #MeToo sexual harassment claims upheld
South China Morning Post, August 23, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2160975/top-chinese-buddhist-monk-xuecheng-faces-police-investigation

Group: China denies Tibet activist’s appeal of jail sentence
Washington Post, August 23, 2018
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/group-china-denies-tibet-activists-appeal-of-jail-sentence/2018/08/23/18a45cc2-a6c5-11e8-ad6f-080770dcddc2_story.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Macau “homosexual” recording raises policy worry
The Standard, August 23, 2018
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news.php?id=199389&sid=4&sid=4

Hundreds of thousands displaced as Shenzhen “upgrades” its urban villages
The Guardian, August 23, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/aug/23/hundreds-of-thousands-displaced-as-shenzhen-upgrades-its-urban-villages

宁夏西吉2亿多元扶贫专项资金被挤占挪用,书记县长均被免职 (Over RMB 200 million of poverty alleviation special funds misappropriated; party secretary, county magistrate removed from office)
The Paper, August 23, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2374372

吉林省食品藥品監督管理局局長郭洪志被免職 (Jilin Food and Drug Administration chief dismissed over vaccine scandal)
Radio Television Hong Kong, August 22, 2018
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1413956-20180822.htm

医院只准用国产 牺牲民众利益 (Regulation requiring hospitals to use only “made in China” equipment puts civilian lives at stake)
Radio Free Asia, August 22, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/huanjing/yf1-08222018101226.html

五部门敦促职务犯罪外逃人员投案自首:年底前自动投案可从轻或减轻处罚 (Five departments urge overseas fugitives to surrender themselves before end of year in exchange for lighter punishment)
Beijing News, August 23, 2018
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/news/2018/08/23/500831.html

大连原常务副市长曹爱华犯贪污罪受贿罪,获刑8年6个月 (Former deputy mayor of Dalian convicted of corruption for bribery, sentenced to 8.5 years)
The Paper, August 23, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2373160

原国家食药监总局药化注册司司长王立丰涉嫌严重违纪违法接受纪律审查和监察调查 (Former director of Pharmaceutical Registration Department of the State Food and Drug Administration investigated for serious disciplinary, legal violations)
Beijing News, August 23, 2018
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/news/2018/08/23/500862.html

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Australia blocks China’s Huawei, ZTE from 5G network citing security risks
Hong Kong Free Press, August 23, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/08/23/australia-blocks-chinas-huawei-zte-5g-network-citing-security-risks/

Related:
China lashes Australia saying it’s “gravely concerned” about Huawei decision
Sidney Morning Herald, August 23, 2018
https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/china-lashes-australia-saying-it-s-gravely-concerned-about-huawei-decision-20180823-p4zzf2.html

Apple may build China’s BeiDou navigation into future iPhones
AsiaTimes, August 22, 2018
http://www.atimes.com/article/apple-may-build-chinas-beidou-navigation-into-future-iphones/

China to take nearly half of global face recognition device market by 2023
China Money Network, August 23, 2018
https://www.chinamoneynetwork.com/2018/08/23/china-to-take-nearly-half-of-global-face-recognition-device-market-by-2023

Hong Kong (香港)

Half of Hong Kong employers do not want to hire women with children, study finds
South China Morning Post, August 23, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2160912/half-hong-kong-employers-do-not-want-hire-women-children

北京急于将港人大陆化拟升格回乡证为“二等”国民身份证 (In bid to speed up integration, Beijing to upgrade Home Return Permits to “second tier national ID card”)
Radio France Internationale, August 22, 2018
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20180822-北京急于将港人大陆化拟升格回乡证为二等国民身份证

Asking Trump to suspend city’s special trade status was in Hong Kong’s interests, says pro-independence party
Hong Kong Free Press, August 23, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/08/23/asking-trump-suspend-citys-special-trade-status-hong-kongs-interests-says-pro-independence-party/

Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong distances self from father in stating support for LGBTQ equality
Hong Kong Free Press, August 23, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/08/23/hong-kong-activist-joshua-wong-distances-self-father-stating-support-lgbtq-equality/

Commentary (评论)

中國銳實力實為「嚇實力」,但對台灣人民真的有效嗎?(China’s sharp power is in fact “scare power,” but will it work on Taiwan people?)
The News Lens, August 23, 2018
https://www.thenewslens.com/article/102539

Signals from Xi’s speech on ideology
China Media Project, August 23, 2018
http://chinamediaproject.org/2018/08/23/signals-from-xis-speech-on-ideology/

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

全国人大法工委复函专家:督促纠正地方法院越权制定司法解释 (Legislative Affairs Commission urges rectification of interpretations by local courts that “exceed their authorities”)
The Paper, August 22, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2369386

Access to Information (信息公开)

“Unify minds”: President Xi Jinping makes ideological rallying call to China’s Communist Party propaganda cadres
South China Morning Post, August 22, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2160904/unify-minds-president-xi-jinping-makes-ideological

Related:
China’s Xi says internet must be “clean and righteous”
Reuters, August 22, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-politics/chinas-xi-says-internet-must-be-clean-and-righteous-idUSKCN1L71CG?

China boosts internet propaganda efforts with Xi aide’s appointment
Reuters, August 22, 2018
http://en.rfi.fr/20180822-china-internet-propaganda

Buzzfeed journalist denied new China visa following award-winning coverage of Xinjiang crackdown
Hong Kong Free Press, August 22, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/08/22/buzzfeed-journalist-denied-new-china-visa-following-award-winning-coverage-xinjiang-crackdown/

Related:
美国记者因报道新疆不获续签被迫离开中国 (China denies visa for BuzzFeed writer in likely retaliation)
Voice of America, August 22, 2018
CH: https://www.voachinese.com/a/news-buzzfeed-reporter-forced-to-leave-china-20180822/4539238.html
EN: https://www.voanews.com/a/china-denies-visa-for-buzzfeed-writer-in-likely-retaliation/4539348.html

This is what a 21st-Century police state really looks like
Buzzfeed, October 17, 2017
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/meghara/the-police-state-of-the-future-is-already-here

Chinese state TV mocks Trump in sarcastic video
The New York Times, August 22, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/22/world/asia/china-trump-trade-satire.html

China is now policing cryptocurrency by targeting WeChat accounts
Quartz, August 22, 2018
https://qz.com/1365874/china-cracks-down-on-cryptocurrency-by-shuttering-wechat-accounts

Economics professor expelled for “politically harmful” expressions, including estimate of staggering cost to maintain the Communist Party apparatus
China Change, August 21, 2018
https://chinachange.org/2018/08/21/economics-professor-expelled-for-politically-harmful-expressions-including-estimate-of-staggering-cost-to-maintain-the-communist-party-apparatus/

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

An analysis of collective protests by workers in different industries
China Labour Bulletin, August 22, 2018
http://www.clb.org.hk/content/analysis-collective-protests-workers-different-industries

深圳佳士维权: 中国社媒审查与致习近平的公开信 (Domestic media remain silent on Shenzhen Jasic workers’ protest, supporters send letter to Xi Jinping)
BBC, August 22, 2018
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-45267044

上海维权人士丁德元被以“妨害公务罪”判刑2年6个月 (Shanghai rights defenders jailed for 2.5 years)
Chinese Human Rights Defenders, August 21, 2018
http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2018/08/26.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China’s mass internment camps have no clear end in sight
Foreign Policy, August 22, 2018
https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/08/22/chinas-mass-internment-camps-have-no-clear-end-in-sight/

Taiwan’s last Africa ally tells China “no desire” to switch ties
Reuters, August 22, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-china/china-expects-to-wean-away-taiwans-last-africa-ally-soon-idUSKCN1L7097?

Related:
China ups pressure on Taiwan’s last African ally, eSwatini, to abandon it for Beijing
South China Morning Post, August 22, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2160813/china-ups-pressure-taiwans-last-african-ally-eswatini

国务院派出31个督查组分赴各地进行督查 (State Council sends 31 inspection groups to conduct inspections across the country)
People’s Daily, August 22, 2018
http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2018/0822/c1001-30245003.html

武汉市政府原党组成员、副市长李忠被开除党籍和公职 (Former deputy mayor and CPC committee member in Wuhan investigated for serious disciplinary, legal violations)
Beijing News, August 22, 2018
link

山西省监狱管理局党委书记王伟等4人被开除党籍 (Party secretary of Shanxi Prison Administration investigated for serious disciplinary, legal violations)
Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, August 22, 2018
http://www.ccdi.gov.cn/scdc/sggb/djcf/201808/t20180822_178307.html

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Chinese police scan, store data from citizens’ smartphones
Radio Free Asia, August 21, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/police-data-08212018111240.html

U.S. should focus on China’s cybersecurity law, not its tech program, says organization representing, Apple, Google and more
South China Morning Post, August 22, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/tech/china-tech/article/2160749/tech-sector-hopes-focus-us-attention-chinas-cybersecurity-laws

Google tried to change China. China may end up changing Google
New York Times, August 22, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/22/technology/google-china-conventionality.html

Who needs democracy when you have data? Here’s how China rules using data, AI, and internet surveillance
MIT Technology Review, August 20, 2018
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/611815/who-needs-democracy-when-you-have-data/