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 13, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

At least 15 workers, Maoist supporters still detained over labor union campaign
Radio Free Asia, September 12, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/campaign-09122018105518.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

China to ban foreigners from preaching religion online
South China Morning Post, September 12, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/2163961/china-ban-foreigners-preaching-religion-online

China: German theater group barred from staging Ibsen play
Deutsche Welle, September 12, 2018
https://p.dw.com/p/34leR

Related:
德国话剧团《人民公敌》南京演出夭折 (Performance of German repertory troupe "People's Enemy" in Nanjing cancelled because of the audience interaction)
Radio Free Asia, September 12, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/kejiaowen/yf2-09122018094450.html

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

呼吁停止打压公民 李蔚拟申请游行被阻 (Activists stopped from submitting application for march against police violence, abuse of power)
Radio Free Asia, September 12, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf1-09122018094340.html

滞泰难民哎乌绝食抗议保释申请被拒
Chinese political refugee on hunger strike in Thai immigration detention center
Radio Free Asia, September 12, 2018
CH: https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/gf2-09122018094639.html
EN: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/chinese-political-refugee-on-hunger-strike-09122018111459.html

Chinese activists renew push for same-sex marriage in their thousands
Channel NewsAsia, September 12, 2018
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/chinese-activists-renew-push-for-same-sex-marriage-in-their-thousands-10709530

Speaking out: Uygurs in the United States break silence on China’s crackdown
South China Morning Post, September 12, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/2163939/speaking-out-uygurs-united-states-break-silence-chinas

Government Accountability (政府问责)

欧洲议会高票通过反对大陆军事挑衅台湾的《欧中关系报告》 (EU Parliament passes resolution calling China to cease military provocation on Taiwan)
Radio France Internationale, September 13, 2018
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20180913-欧洲议会高票通过反对大陆军事挑衅台湾的欧中关系报告

Related:
The EU’s new China resolution: Principled but not strategic
The Diplomat, September 13, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/09/the-eus-new-china-resolution-principled-but-not-strategic/

辽宁省人大常委会原副主任李文科受贿、行贿案一审宣判 (Deputy secretary of Liaoning People’s Congress Standing Committee sentenced to 16 years for bribery)
Xinhua, September 13, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/2018-09/13/c_129953017.htm

山西省监狱管理局党委委员、副局长范志民被双开 (CPC committee member of Shanxi Prison Administration investigated for serious disciplinary, legal violations)
Chinanews, September 13, 2018
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2018/09-13/8626734.shtml

湖北省交通运输厅党组成员、副厅长谢强接受纪律审查和监察调查 (CPC committee member of transportation department of Hubei investigated for serious disciplinary, legal violations)
Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, September 13, 2018
http://www.ccdi.gov.cn/scdc/sggb/zjsc/201809/t20180913_179692.html

U.N. decries “shameful” reprisals on rights activists in 38 countries
Reuters, September 12, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-un-rights/u-n-decries-shameful-reprisals-on-rights-activists-in-38-countries-idUSKCN1LS15V

Related:
联合国谴责中俄等38国迫害维权人士 (UN condemns China and 37 other countries for reprisals on rights defenders)
Radio Free Asia, September 12, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/nu-09122018104852.html

Lawmakers, citing Muslim camps, ask Commerce Dept. to limit technology sales to China
The New York Times, September 12, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/12/world/asia/commerce-sanctions-china-uighurs.html

Related:
China urges U.S. to “abandon prejudice” over Xinjiang
Reuters, September 12, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-xinjiang-usa/china-urges-u-s-to-abandon-prejudice-over-xinjiang-idUSKCN1LS0XY

Video: China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs denies human rights abuse allegations in Xinjiang
Yahoo News, September 10, 2018
https://www.yahoo.com/news/chinas-ministry-foreign-affairs-denies-080040805.html

闻喜县公安局原副局长景益民盗墓、当黑帮保护伞,终审判无期 (Wenxi county security bureau vice-chief appeal rejected, life sentence upheld for colluding with grave robbers, providing “protective umbrella” for triads)
The Paper, September 12, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2433782

世界氣象組織徵年曆照 台灣被改成「中國台灣省」 攝影師不滿棄賽 (UN World Meteorological Organization photo competition changes Taiwan location to “Taiwan province of China,” contestant quits after unsuccessful negotiations)
The Stand News, September 12, 2018
https://thestandnews.com/台灣/世界氣象組織徵年曆照-台灣被改成-中國台灣省-攝影師不滿棄賽/

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

苹果发布会将台湾与中港并列惹“环时”不满 (Chinese official media offended by Apple for listing Taiwan and Hong Kong on par with China)
Voice of America, September 13, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/apple-lists-taiwan-as-a-country-in-its-introduction-of-iphone-x-max-20180913/4569845.html

Related:
“Why are Taiwan and Hong Kong separate from China?”: Chinese raise ruckus over Apple’s iPhone presentation
South China Morning Post, September 13, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2164126/why-are-taiwan-and-hong-kong-separate-china-chinese-raise-ruckus

Whacking the mole: How Australia scrambles to regulate Chinese technology
The Conversation, September 12, 2018
http://theconversation.com/whacking-the-mole-how-australia-scrambles-to-regulate-chinese-technology-103085

Hong Kong (香港)

Student gets probation for carrying air gun
The Standard, September 13, 2018
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news.php?id=200150&sid=4&sid=4

Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents’ Club lease allows government to evict it at just three months’ notice
South China Morning Post, September 13, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2163968/hong-kong-foreign-correspondents-club-lease-allows

Hong Kong National Party’s Andy Chan drops appeal against election ban after failing to get legal aid for court fight
South China Morning Post, September 13, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2163953/hong-kong-national-partys-andy-chan-drops-appeal-against

Ex-president of Hong Kong legislature defends “sinners of society” attack on judges by pro-Beijing politician
Hong Kong Free Press, September 12, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2163941/ex-president-hong-kong-legislature-defends-sinners-society

《地厚天高》新加坡列為「18禁」 不設公開售票 導演林子穎:可以播已經幾好 (Singapore lists film on localist Edward Leung, “Lost in the Fumes,” as 18+ for “political sensitivity”)
The Stand News, September 12, 2018
https://thestandnews.com/politics/地厚天高-新加坡列為-18禁-不設公開售票/

Commentary (评论)

Make sacrifices to illuminate the future: Commemorating the fifth anniversary of the founding of the China Human Rights Lawyers Group
China Change, September 13, 2018
https://chinachange.org/2018/09/12/make-sacrifices-to-illuminate-the-future-commemorating-the-fifth-anniversary-of-the-founding-of-the-china-human-rights-lawyers-group/

台湾外长:“中国问题”对全球自由民主价值构成威胁 (Taiwan Foreign Minister: "China Issue" poses a threat to global freedom and democracy)
Voice of America, September 13, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/Taiwan-Says-China-Coercion-Poses-Threat-To-Global-Values-20180913/4569811.html

End France’s silence over massive rights violations in China
Human Rights Watch, September 12, 2018
https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/09/12/end-frances-silence-over-massive-rights-violations-china

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

709案:余文生家属促官派律师退出 (Family members of detained 709 lawyer Yu Wensheng urge government-appointed lawyers to withdraw from case)
Radio Free Asia, September 11, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/gf2-09112018102404.html

Tibetan protester released from prison before serving full term
Radio Free Asia, September 11, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/released-09112018164449.html

北京錫安教會牧師稱返回會堂後 被不明人士帶往渡假村 (Church of Zion branch evicted after official ban, priest and staff detained in undisclosed location for several hours)
Radio Television Hong Kong, September 11, 2018
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1417268-20180911.htm

Access to Information (信息公开)

Chinese turn to Internet “experts” for sensitive topics
Agence France-Presse, September 12, 2018
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2018/09/12/2003700278

China's small farmers pose huge challenge in swine fever battle
Channel NewsAsia, September 12, 2018
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/china-s-small-farmers-pose-huge-challenge-in-swine-fever-battle-10707254

范冰冰消失百日后 中国娱乐业的寒蝉效应 (Chilling effect on China’s entertainment industry evident as Fan Bingbing’s disappearance reaches 100 days)
BBC News, September 12, 2018
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-45489778

China restricts online coverage of burning incense and praying in religious crackdown
Agence France-Presse, September 11, 2018
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/09/11/china-restricts-online-coverage-burning-incense-praying-religious/

Related:
中国强化互联网宗教信息管控 (China strengthens control over online religious content)
Radio Free Asia, September 11, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shehui/hc-09112018103506.html

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

”They cannot stop us from praying”: China shuts down prominent Christian church
Hong Kong Free Press, September 11, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/09/11/cannot-stop-us-praying-china-shuts-prominent-christian-church/

Related:
China continues crackdown on house churches
China Digital Times, September 11, 2018
https://chinadigitaltimes.net/2018/09/china-continues-crackdown-on-home-churches/

Government Accountability (政府问责)

四川经信委原副主任伍丕光被公诉,涉嫌滥用职权罪、受贿罪 (Former deputy director of Sichuan Economic and Information Committee prosecuted for abuse of power and accepting bribes)
The Paper, September 12, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2433610

重庆市查处党员干部和公职人员涉黑涉恶问题55件72人 (72 Party members, officials under investigation for involvement in Chongqing “protective umbrella” triad crimes)
The Paper, September 12, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2431809

财政部纪检组原组长莫建成受贿4259余万元今日受审 (Former head of Ministry of Finance discipline inspection team tried for accepting bribes of more than 42.59 million yuan)
Beijing News, September 12, 2018
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/news/2018/09/12/504750.html

中国福利彩票发行管理中心原主任王素英接受纪律审查和监察调查 (Former director of China Welfare Lottery Management Center investigated for serious disciplinary, legal violations)
People's Daily, September 12, 2018
http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2018/0912/c1001-30289210.html

公安机关对网贷平台涉嫌非法集资案件进行集中网上登记 (Public security organs conduct centralized online registration of suspected illegal fund-raising cases on online lending platforms)
People's Daily, September 12, 2018
http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2018/0912/c1001-30288691.html

Beijing dismisses reports of enormous abuses in Xinjiang
SupChina, September 11, 2018
https://supchina.com/2018/09/11/beijing-dismisses-reports-of-enormous-abuses-in-xinjiang/

Related:
China says Human Rights Watch report on Xinjiang suppression “full of prejudice and distorted facts”
Hong Kong Free Press, September 11, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/09/11/china-says-human-rights-watch-report-xinjiang-suppression-full-prejudice-distorted-facts/

China vows to protect the authority of police
The Diplomat, September 11, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/09/china-vows-to-protect-the-authority-of-police/

Related:
China mulls new laws to boost police powers, “authority”
Radio Free Asia, September 11, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/china-mulls-new-laws-to-boost-police-powers-09112018114908.html

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Netease issues apology for content lapses
China Media Project, September 11, 2018
http://chinamediaproject.org/2018/09/11/netease-issues-apology-for-content-lapses/

Related:
说实话惹祸? 网易财经宣布整改 (Netease's financial channel announces rectification, rumored to stem from article proposing higher threshold for paying personal income tax)
Radio Free Asia, September 11, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/yf2-09112018102228.html

China installing QR codes on Uighur Muslim homes as part of mass security crackdown
The Independent, September 11, 2018
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/china-uighur-muslims-xinjiang-province-qr-codes-security-crackdown-hrw-a8532156.html

Hong Kong (香港)

High-speed rail passengers’ personal data will be transferred “outside Hong Kong”
South China Morning Post, September 12, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/09/12/high-speed-rail-passengers-personal-data-will-transferred-outside-hong-kong/

Related:
私隐不保:高铁港客资料直送北京 (High-speed rail passengers’ data sent to Beijing, concerns over privacy as wifi collects personal data “regardless of border”)
Radio France Internationale, September 11, 2018
http://cn.rfi.fr/社会/20180911-私隐不保高铁港客资料直送北京

Former Hong Kong chief executive CY Leung threatens to launch legal action in the UK against city lawmaker
South China Morning Post, September 11, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2163743/former-hong-kong-chief-executive-cy-leung-threatens-launch

Related:
Leung brings libel battle to UK
The Standard, September 12, 2018
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news.php?id=200104&sid=4&sid=4

Pro-Beijing politician’s attack on Hong Kong judges as “sinners of society” earns stiff rebuke from leader Carrie Lam
Hong Kong Free Press, September 11, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2163689/pro-beijing-politicians-remarks-calling-hong-kong-judges

Commentary (评论)

「歐威爾式帝國」(Orwellian Empire)的宗教網絡管控 (Religious network control in style of Orwellian Empire)
inmediahk.net, September 12, 2018
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1059429

观点:高铁“一地两检”──中国的强势 港人的无力 (Commentary: High-speed rail and co-location arrangement—China’s might, Hong Kong’s powerlessness)
BBC News, September 12, 2018
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-45480618

Interview: “The U.S. is taking the issue of the concentration camps quite seriously”
Radio Free Asia, September 11, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/wuc-sanctions-09112018160816.html

Is the trade war hurting Xi Jinping politically?
ChinaFile, September 10, 2018
http://www.chinafile.com/conversation/trade-war-hurting-xi-jinping-politically

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Fan Bingbing: Vanished Chinese star “not socially responsible”
BBC, September 10, 2018
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-45426882

Sister of veteran rights activist evicted, detained in China's Guangdong
Radio Free Asia, September 10, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/sister-09102018111015.html

公安部拟新规“维护警察权威” (Ministry of Public Security plans to issue new regulation to “maintain police authority”)
Radio Free Asia, September 10, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/xql-09102018104014.html

潑墨女失蹤65天 傳中國高層下令:不能讓她活著離開 (High-level authorities are rumoured to order not letting “ink woman” Dong Yaoqiong leave psychiatric detention alive)
Liberty Times Net, September 9, 2018
http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/breakingnews/2546228

Access to Information (信息公开)

无国界记者强烈谴责中国当局虐待公民记者黄琦 (Reporters Without Borders condemns ill-treatment of detained citizen reporter Huang Qi)
Voice of America, September 11, 2018
https://www.voachinese.com/a/news-rsf-condemns-violence-against-detained-huang-qi-20180910/4565328.html

Related:
China: RSF press freedom laureate falls victim to violence in detention again
Reporters Without Borders, September 10, 2018
https://rsf.org/en/news/china-rsf-press-freedom-laureate-falls-victim-violence-detention-again

自由再受限 中国拟控管网路宗教资讯 (New draft regulations on religious information online poses risks to religious freedom)
Deutsche Welle, September 11, 2018
https://p.dw.com/p/34ePa

Related:
China to crack down on “chaotic” online religious info: Media
Reuters, September 11, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-religion/china-to-crack-down-on-chaotic-online-religious-info-media-idUSKCN1LQ2QC?

Xi stresses following path of socialist education with Chinese characteristics
Sina English, September 11, 2018
http://english.sina.com/china/p/2018-09-11/detail-ihiixzkm7110366.shtml

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Barred Tsinghua student studying under registered foreign NGO’s scholarship program
China NGO Project, September 10, 2018
http://www.chinafile.com/ngo/latest/barred-tsinghua-student-studying-under-registered-foreign-ngos-scholarship-program

Escape from Xinjiang: Muslim Uighurs speak of China persecution
Al Jazeera, September 10, 2018
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/escape-xinjiang-muslim-uighurs-speak-china-persecution-180907125030717.html

Related:
专访人权观察:习近平强压 新疆最甚 (Interview with Human Rights Watch: Xinjiang suffers extreme degree of repression under Xi Jinping)
Deutsche Welle, September 11, 2018
https://p.dw.com/p/34fK4

Chinese police ban activist's planned visit to democratic Taiwan
Radio Free Asia, September 10, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/taiwan-09102018110050.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Bible-burning seen as Chinese Christians squeezed
The Standard, September 11, 2018
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news.php?id=200070&sid=3&sid=3

Related:
【嚴打教會】河南鄭州教會遭查封 傳道人被指講道無備案 (Crackdown on churches in Henan continues, preachers accused of “illegal religious activity” for not obtaining approval from authorities)
The Stand News, September 10, 2018
https://thestandnews.com/china/嚴打教會-河南鄭州教會遭查封-傳道人被指講道無備案/

Senior Chinese diplomat highlights “path of human rights development with Chinese characteristics”
Sina English, September 11, 2018
http://english.sina.com/china/s/2018-09-11/detail-ihiycyfw8716255.shtml

Related:
Chinese representative vows to further pursue multilateralism
Sina English, September 11, 2018
http://english.sina.com/china/d/2018-09-11/detail-ihiycyfw8381758.shtml

U.S. weighs sanctions against Chinese officials over Muslim detention camps
美国考虑就新疆拘留营对中国实施制裁
The New York Times, September 10, 2018
https://cn.nytimes.com/usa/20180911/us-china-sanctions-muslim-camps/dual/

吉林省纪委副书记、省监委副主任邱大明接受审查调查(Deputy secretary of Jilin Provincial Commission for Disciple Inspection investigated for serious disciplinary, legal violations)
The Paper, September 11, 2018
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2427927

China prepared to resist if U.S. adds support for Taiwan’s foreign relations
Voice of America, September 10, 2018
https://www.voanews.com/a/taiwan-diplomatic-allies/4564622.html

Related:
China urges U.S. not to “gesticulate” about countries abandoning Taiwan
Channel NewsAsia, September 11, 2018
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/china-urges-us-not-to--gesticulate--about-countries-abandoning-taiwan-10702080

中方提醒個別國家勿忘承認一中原則 妥善處理涉台問題 (China reminds “individual countries” to recognize one China principle in handling Taiwan matters)
Radio Television Hong Kong, September 10, 2018
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1417053-20180910.htm

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Google is handing the future of the Internet to China
Foreign Policy, September 10, 2018
https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/09/10/google-is-handing-the-future-of-the-internet-to-china/

“Made in China 2025”: Is Beijing’s plan for hi-tech dominance as big a threat as the West thinks it is?
South China Morning Post, September 10, 2018
https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/2163601/made-china-2025-beijings-plan-hi-tech-dominance-big-threat

Related:
Why “Made in China 2025” triggered the wrath of President Trump
South China Morning Post, September 11, 2018
https://multimedia.scmp.com/news/china/article/made-in-China-2025/index.html

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

澳门特区拟制订《网络安全法》(Macao SAR to formulate “Network Security Law”)
Xinhua, September 11, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/2018-09/11/c_129951532.htm