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, December 20, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

欧洲议会呼吁制裁中国官员 关注维吾尔人权 (European Parliament urges sanctions against Chinese officials and attention on human rights for Uyghurs)
Deutsche Welle, December 19, 2019

专访:中国的新疆政策已超越犯罪的定义 (Scholar: China's Xinjiang policy is beyond criminal)
Deutsche Welle, December 19, 2019

俄罗斯穆斯林领袖开始批评中国的新疆政策 (Muslim leader in Russia voices criticism on China's Xinjiang policy)
Voice of America, December 19, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

中國駐瑞典大使:桂民海活得很好 所涉案件絕非人權案 (Gui Minhai is living well and his case has nothing to do with human rights, says Chinese ambassador in Sweden)
Radio Television Hong Kong, December 20, 2019

微信留言六个字开玩笑判囚九个月 (Man jailed for 9 months for ISIS joke on WeChat)
Radio Free Asia, December 19, 2019

Chinese activist who helps sanitation workers detained, friends say
Reuters, December 19, 2019

Related:
Labor NGO Founder, Volunteer, Intern Detained in China's Guangdong
Radio Free Asia, December 19, 2019

Chinese student complains police failed to investigate knife attack where ‘very powerful people’ were involved
South China Morning Post, December 19, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

世界律师大会真相曝光 代表促独立执法的发言被取消 (Speech by representative of International Association of Lawyers cancelled at Global Lawyers Forum)
Radio Free Asia, December 19, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

U.S. should not finalize China trade deal unless detained Canadians are released: Trudeau
Reuters, December 19, 2019

Can China sustain its human rights vision with Xinjiang and Hong Kong in spotlight?
South China Morning Post, December 20, 2019

China cools Sweden business ties after minister awards prize to Gui Minhai
The Guardian, December 20, 2019

China will not let foreign forces to interfere in Hong Kong, Macau: Xi
Reuters, December 20, 2019

美众院外委会通过西藏法案 藏人谢美国彰显公义 (Dalai Lama expresses thanks as U.S. House of Representatives passes act on Tibet)
Radio Free Asia, December 19, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China targets 41 apps in privacy clamp
The Standard, December 20, 2019

Zooming out on Chinese surveillance technology
China Digital Times, December 18, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

警拘捕星火同盟四人涉洗黑錢 凍結七千萬 (Police arrest Spark Alliance staff on money laundering charges, to freeze donations)
Inmediahk.net, December 19, 2019

Related:
Hong Kong police arrest 4 for ‘money laundering’ and freeze HK$70m used to support pro-democracy protesters
Hong Kong Free Press, December 19, 2019

HSBC distances itself from police crackdown on protest fundraiser accused of money laundering
South China Morning Post, December 20, 2019

上月關閉「星火」戶口 滙豐:非草率決定,與香港近況無關 (HSBC says closure of Spark Alliance's bank account in November was "unrelated to current HK situation")
Stand News, December 20, 2019

教育局命80被捕教師教學助理即時停職 楊潤雄:用更嚴厲行動「糾正錯誤」(80 teachers and teaching assistants arrested in relation to protests, Education Bureau says tougher action needed to "correct mistakes")
Ming Pao, December 20, 2019

Related:
At least five Hong Kong teachers accused of protest-related misconduct were not given a chance to defend themselves before Education Bureau, union says
South China Morning Post, December 19, 2019

許智峯眾籌330萬私人檢控警暴 要求先披露內地製催淚彈成份 (Legislator Ted Hui crowdfunds to raise private prosecutions against police, including for protester shot with life-rounds and to press disclosure of tear gas ingredients)
Inmediahk.net, December 19, 2019

【龍門任警擺】6青年九龍城涉揮棍練Parkour被捕 星火律師跟進 (Six arrested for practising parkour while carrying sticks)
Apple Daily, December 19, 2019

Social workers take to Hong Kong streets to urge international community to join fight against city’s ‘humanitarian crisis’
South China Morning Post, December 19, 2019

Commentary (评论)

舉報、燒書、改章程⋯⋯「自由而無用」的靈魂,在中國遭遇了什麼? (The fate of "free but useless" souls in China)
Initium, December 19, 2019

Sexual violence against Hong Kong protesters – what’s going on?
Amnesty International, December 19, 2019

Mesut Özil should be able to say what he likes about subjects he cares about
The Guardian, December 19, 2019

Nationalism Ruined My Chinese Friendships
SupChina, December 19, 2019

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

China's ambassador to Australia says reports of detention of 1m Uighurs 'fake news'
The Guardian, December 19, 2019

Uyghur Boy Dies in Ditch in Hotan While Parents in Jail, Internment Camp
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

為中國勞權發聲 中國勞動研究者及學生「被消失」(Chen Weixiang, scholar and labour rights activist, abducted and disappeared in Guangzhou along with volunteers)
Civil Media, December 18, 2019

鼓吹满独?旅芬中国学者王展被拘 (Scholar arrested for "inciting Manzhou independence")
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

澳門當局以危害公安或公共秩序 禁本港多間傳媒入境 (Multiple media outlets from Hong Kong barred from entering Macau on public security grounds)
Radio Television Hong Kong, December 18, 2019

Related:
Hong Kong Activists Barred From Travel to Macau on Day of Xi Visit
The Diplomat, December 19, 2019

China state TV axes interview with UK ambassador
Channel NewsAsia, December 18, 2019

Demand for Absolute Loyalty to Beijing at Chinese Universities Triggers Dissent
The Wall Street Journal, December 18, 2019

Related:
Chinese Students Denounce Limits on Free Speech, in a Rare Protest
The New York Times, December 18, 2019

China’s Fudan University students in flash mob for freedom of thought
South China Morning Post, December 18, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Daughter of jailed Uygur activist Ilham Tohti accepts EU prize in his name
South China Morning Post, December 19, 2019

Rights group wants Canada to take action against CGTN’s broadcast of forced confessions
China Digital Times, December 18, 2019

FC Cologne pull out of deal to run football academy in China
The Guardian, December 18, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China goes backwards on global gender equality list but does better on education
South China Morning Post, December 18, 2019

China fears Taiwan's democracy the most, island's president says in election pitch
Reuters, December 18, 2019

Chinese Police Work in Cambodia to Handle Chinese Suspects
Radio Free Asia, December 18, 2019

Xi Jinping Thought charts course for SARs' growth
ECNS, December 18, 2019

A Surveillance Net Blankets China’s Cities, Giving Police Vast Powers
The New York Times, December 17, 2019

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

US finalising rules to limit sensitive technology exports to China and other rivals, report says
South China Morning Post, December 18, 2019

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong gov’t defends practice of suspending civil servants under police investigation
Hong Kong Free Press, December 19, 2019

2歲男童認塗鴉警署獲頒兩年保護令 刑毀罪撤銷 (12-year-old who sprayed graffiti on wall of police station receives child protection order, has charges dismissed)
Inmediahk.net, December 19, 2019

UK urges China to open dialogue with Hong Kong on 1984 declaration anniversary
Reuters, December 19, 2019

「匡民會」接觸反送中運動被告 聲稱可提供萬元現金援助 前身為「反佔中」組織 (Pro-Beijing group active during Umbrella Movement pretended to be "volunteers" supporting arrested protesters and tried to fish information on their court cases)
Stand News, December 18, 2019

Pro-democracy lawmakers in push to invoke special Legco powers to launch investigation into alleged police brutality amid Hong Kong protests
South China Morning Post, December 18, 2019

Leaked internal document reveal Hong Kong police to ask gov’t for manpower, supplies and pay boost
Hong Kong Free Press, December 18, 2019

Children of the revolution: the Hong Kong youths ready to 'sacrifice everything'
The Guardian, December 15, 2019

Commentary (评论)

Video: Hong Kong is showing the world how to protest anonymously in an era of mass surveillance
Quartz, December 19, 2019

Interactive: Why Hong Kong’s Property Tycoons Are Beijing’s Scapegoats
Bloomberg, December 19, 2019

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Xinjiang (新疆)

Mike Pompeo backs Mesut Özil in criticism of China's Uighur persecution
The Guardian, December 18, 2019

Related:
Toure against Ozil’s public rebuke of China’s crackdown
Associated Press, December 17, 2019

Mesut Özil row: China's Arsenal fans burns shirts in anger at Xinjiang post
The Guardian, December 16, 2019

Indonesia Muslim groups deny China lobbying sways views on Uighurs
Reuters, December 17, 2019

Arrest of Activists in Kazakhstan Likely Linked to Criticism of Plan to Deport Chinese Nationals
Radio Free Asia, December 17, 2019

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Three Tibetans Detained in China’s Gansu Ahead of ‘Sensitive’ Anniversary
Radio Free Asia, December 17, 2019

Access to Information (信息公开)

无国界记者:中国占全球被任意关押记者中的三分之一 (Reporters Without Borders says one third of journalists arbitrarily detained worldwide are in China)
Voice of America, December 17, 2019

Related:
RSF yearly round-up: “historically low” number of journalists killed in 2019
Reporters Without Borders, December 16, 2019

South China Morning Post reporter denied entry into Macau to cover Xi Jinping’s visit for 20th anniversary handover celebrations
South China Morning Post, December 17, 2019

Chinese 'rumors' and 'cyber armies' - Taiwan fights election 'fake news'
Reuters, December 17, 2019

Beijing censures Malaysia over fresh South China Sea claim
Reuters, December 17, 2019

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

In rural China, elderly transgender Sister Liu longs for family life
Reuters, December 17, 2019

Hundreds of Chinese citizens told me what they thought about the controversial social credit system
The Conversation, December 17, 2019

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Human rights in Hong Kong, Xinjiang raised in China-EU meeting
South China Morning Post, December 17, 2019