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.

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Xinjiang (新疆)

‘Psychological torture’: Uygurs abroad face mental health crisis over plight of relatives who remain in Xinjiang
South China Morning Post, March 10, 2020

Xinjiang Authorities Quarantine Student Said to Have Infected First Uyghur Coronavirus Case
Radio Free Asia, March 9, 2020

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

谢燕益:疫情应对之特赦刑事犯致全国人大公开法律意见书 (Lawyer calls on the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress to release all political prisoners and provide amnesty to common criminals due to coronavirus outbreak in prison)
Weiquanwang, March 10, 2020

肺炎疫情:世卫删除“传统医药可能有害”建议引爆中国公众争议 (Coronavirus outbreak: WHO's deletion from website of 'Taking traditional medicine may be harmful' stirs great controversy among Chinese people)
British Broadcasting Corporation, March 10, 2020

Government Accountability (政府问责)

学者赵士林“庚子上书”:疫情首要责任在习近平 (Two open letters by scholar asking Xi Jinping to take primary responsibility for mishandling the coronavirus are blocked after going viral)
Radio Free Asia, March 10, 2020

习近平戒备森严中抵武汉考察疫情 没有人再喊全是假的 (Wuhan under heavy guard shouts of “all fake” during Xi Jinping visit)
Radio Free Asia, March 10, 2020

疫情封锁中,被遗忘与被损害的中国弱势群体 (In fight against coronavirus , China’s vulnerable falls through the cracks)
The New York Times, March 10, 2020

李文亮案调查一个月后为何还没有结果? (Why is there still no result after one month of investigation into Li Wenliang’s case)
Voice of America, March 10, 2020

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong protests: deputy police chief Oscar Kwok fends off accusations of brutality in rare appearance at UN Human Rights Council
South China Morning Post, March 10, 2020

Related:
警務處副處長郭蔭庶聯合國發言 指責別有用心者抹黑警隊 (Accusations of police brutality are a "comprehensive effort to villify Hong Kong Police," says deputy commissioner at UN Human Rights Council)
Stand News, March 9, 2020

【逃犯條例】鄧炳強︰憂年輕人守法意識薄弱 要防範本土恐怖主義 (Police commissioner says Hong Kong to be on guard against "domestic terrorism" efforts to blackmail government)
HK01, March 6, 2020

7.21 不計入 999 求救總數  警再解畫:有人別有用心號召報案 僅聽 1,100 來電 約 30 宗被納入達標率 (24,000 unanswered emergency calls during July 21, 2019 Yuen Long attacks not counted towards response rate; police say they were "deliberate spam calls to paralyze the force")
Stand News, March 10, 2020

智慧燈柱將移除攝錄鏡頭 當局冀下一步獲區議會支持 (Government agrees to remove cameras from smart lamps and "replace them with other technology" amidst privacy concerns, but will proceed with pioneer scheme)
Radio Television Hong Kong, March 10, 2020

Hong Kong electoral body mulls priority voting for elderly and limits on public ballot count observers
Hong Kong Free Press, March 9, 2020

【武漢肺炎】裝備指引「彈出彈入」 醫管局道歉指溝通上有誤會 (Hospital Authority apologizes for "misunderstanding" over constantly changing guidelines for protective gear for frontline medics)
Stand News, March 9, 2020

被指監視「好鄰舍北區教會」 警:不會監察個別宗教團體 惟有責任了解公眾活動 ("Will not monitor individual religious groups but obligated to oversee public activity," say police after being accused of surveying pro-protest church)
Stand News, March 9, 2020

Commentary (评论)

廖天琪:新冠病毒的传播反映了中共体制的特色 (Liao Tianqi: The spread of the novel coronavirus reflects the characteristics of the CPC system)
Radio France Internationale, March 10, 2020

Monday, March 09, 2020

Access to Justice (司法公正)

许志永涉嫌煽颠遭监居 女友失联恐被视为筹码(Xu Zhiyong is under residential surveillance for “inciting subversion of state power”; his girlfriend’s whereabouts is still unknown)
Radio Free Asia, March 9, 2020

Relate:
China activist who called Xi clueless on coronavirus faces years in jail for 'subversion'
The Guardian, March 7, 2020

《新京报》元老戴自更被“双开”( Dai Zigeng, founder and former president of the "Beijing News" , was expelled from the party and public office)
Radio Free Asia, March 6, 2020

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

性别不平等是现代社会最大人权挑战之一 (Gender inequality is one of the biggest human rights challenges in modern society)
Radio France Internationale, March 8, 2020

Government Accountability (政府问责)

‘Coronavirus quarantine hotel’ collapses in southeast China
South China Morning Post, March 6, 2020

武汉书记促市民感恩 激怒民众已撤回 (Facing public anger, authorities remove Wuhan Municipal Party Secretary’s speech exhorting citizens to be grateful to the Communist Party)
Radio Free Asia, March 9, 2020

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Even mask-wearers can be ID'd, China facial recognition firm says
Reuters, March 9, 2020

Related:
在中国即使戴着口罩也逃不了人脸识别 (A new technology has been developed to enable face recognition for people wearing masks)
Voice of America, March 9, 2020

制脑权、基因攻击…… 中国军方研究的新领域 (Chinese military takes important new research direction: Using cognitive science to master "brain control," "genetic attacks")
Radio Free Asia, March 6, 2020


Minds at War: China’s Pursuit of Military Advantage through Cognitive Science and Biotechnology
Elsa B. Kania, PRISM No. 8, Vol. 3

Hong Kong (香港)

【周梓樂離世4個月】防暴警將軍澳拘逾 40 人 被捕者 26 男 15 女涉非法集結 (Police crashes memorial for four-month anniversary of Chow Tsz-Lok's death, over 40 arrested for unlawful assembly)
Stand News, March 8, 2020

Related:
Hong Kong police and protesters stand off at Tseung Kwan O memorial for deceased student
Hong Kong Free Press, March 9, 2020

HKFP Lens: Hongkongers pay tribute to man who fell to his death after unfurling protest banner
Hong Kong Free Press, March 8, 2020

Pepper spray and arrests as Hong Kong police halt anti-coronavirus clinic demo
Hong Kong Free Press, March 8, 2020

Related:
大埔水晶之夜 2.0:三名區議員被捕 指涉非法集結 (Three district councillors arrested during march in Tai Po)
Inmediahk.net, March 9, 2020

警方凌晨拘 17 人涉三宗炸彈案 斥市民、區議員阻撓行動 (Police arrest 17 in connection with chemical bombs, slam residents and district councillors for obstructing operations)
Stand News, March 8, 2020

Same-sex couples’ newly opened path to public housing still has a roadblock – getting married in the first place
South China Morning Post, March 9, 2020

Coronavirus-battered NGOs say Hong Kong’s charity sector needs government aid to keep doing their work, avoid redundancies
South China Morning Post, March 8, 2020

社民連、工黨3.8婦女節遊行 批林鄭「扮睇唔到」警察性暴力 (Rights group march on International Women's Day, criticizes administration for turning a blind eye on sexual violence by police)
Inmediahk.net, March 8, 2020

和理非師奶辦手足廚房 「仔女」賣曲奇自食其力 (Housewife opens cookie shop, hires young protesters in financial difficulty)
Inmediahk.net, March 7, 2020

Arrest follows suspension for Hong Kong police officer accused of smashing homeless man’s possessions in Sham Shui Po park
South China Morning Post, March 7, 2020

【武漢肺炎】袁國勇改口:去年除夕通知陳肇始 中國正爆發疑似沙士疫情 (Hong Kong authorities warned of SARS-like outbreak as early as end of December 2019 but failed to reduce border influx, expert says)
Apple Daily, March 6, 2020

Commentary (评论)

疫情危机损害国际形象,中国打响外交反击战 (China Pushes Back as Coronavirus Crisis Damages Its Image)
The New York Times, March 9, 2020

世卫小粉红?WHO被批中国特色浓 (WHO accused of possessing strong Chinese characteristics)
Deutsche Welle, March 9, 2020

世卫专家:全世界真的欠了武汉人民的情 (WHO experts: The world really owes the people of Wuhan)
People's Daily, March 8, 2020

Related:
Hu Ping: Xi Jinping Owes an Apology to the Chinese People and the World
Human Rights in China, March 6, 2020

Friday, March 06, 2020

Xinjiang (新疆)

鲁比奥:新疆拘留营情况比任何地方都糟 (Video: U.S. Congress, European Parliament co-host event focusing on Uyghur human rights in Xinjiang)
Voice of America, March 6, 2020

Xinjiang Camps: A Book Exposes CCP’s Lies
Bitter Winter, March 5, 2020

Access to Justice (司法公正)

学者:中国以防疫之名 行社会监控和打压异己之实 (Scholars and human rights groups: China monitors, suppresses dissidents in name of coronavirus prevention)
Voice of America, March 5, 2020

Access to Information (信息公开)

‘Noodles’ and ‘Pandas’: Chinese People Are Using Secret Code to Talk About Coronavirus Online
Vice, March 6, 2020

Coronavirus: China seeks to recast itself from virus pariah to helping hand
Hong Kong Free Press, March 6, 2020

蓬佩奥敦促中国公平对待外国媒体 (U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo urges China to treat foreign media working in China more fairly)
Voice of America, March 6, 2020

疫中访问中国,WHO专家组组长看到了什么? (What did WHO expert team leader see on visit to China during the coronavirus outbreak) The New York Times, March 5, 2020

Tibetan Online Chat Groups Shut Down in Qinghai for Spreading Virus 'Rumors'
Radio Free Asia, March 5, 2020

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

外国人永居条例:遭斥“汉奸” 发改委专家否认曾称“外国人命更值钱” (China’s "Regulations on the Management of Permanent Residence of Foreigners" (draft ) causes uproar online for treating foreigners more favorably than natives)
Radio France Internationale, March 6, 2020

新冠疫情 中国屏蔽哪些词? 习近平 去武汉 李克强均在列 (China's official network supervision has risen to a new level with blocked words including Xi Jinping)
Radio France Internationale, March 6, 2020

Government Accountability (政府问责)

'Fake, Fake': senior Chinese leader heckled by residents on visit to coronavirus city
The Guardian, March 6, 2020

“吹哨人” 李文亮获授“防疫先进”称号 真相和道歉付诸阙如 (China’s National Health Commission bestows "Whistleblower" Li Wenliang title of "Vanguard of Coronavirus Epidemic Prevention" without apologies)
Radio Free Asia, March 6, 2020

中国律师呼吁政府承担不当防疫的赔偿责任 (Chinese lawyer calls on government to compensate victims of improper coronavirus prevention)
Radio Free Asia, March 5, 2020

肺炎疫情:武汉居民向中央高官孙春兰举报政府抗疫工作有假(Wuhan residents shout "It's fake! It's fake!" at leader of central government guiding group inspecting a community in the COVID-19 epicenter)
British Broadcasting Corporation, March 6, 2020

Hong Kong (香港)

Coronavirus: Hong Kong Correctional Services officers decry watchdog’s probe into handling of masks as ‘outrageous’
South China Morning Post, March 6, 2020

Hong Kong’s TVB axes RTHK programmes after watchdog’s rule change but smaller rivals likely to continue airing shows
South China Morning Post, March 6, 2020

只有中国能做?中国呼吁联合国阻止他国进行电子监控 (China closely surveilles its citizens and yet calls on UN to prevent certain countries from conducting large-scale electronic surveillance worldwide to collect personal information)
Voice of America, March 6, 2020

英国保守党要员拟推修正案彻底排除华为 (Senior Conservative MPs seek to pass amendment to ensure that UK networks are free of equipment provided by Huawei after 2022) Financial Times, March 5, 2020

鄭松泰指有囚犯調柙至最高級別監倉 《香港01》稱為梁天琦 (Edward Leung moved to maximum-security prison, sources say)
Stand News, March 5, 2020

Related:
Ex-localist leader Edward Leung transferred to maximum-security prison – report
Hong Kong Free Press, March 6, 2020

Hong Kong’s police watchdog lacks power, impartiality and falls shorts of int’l standards, says Amnesty
Hong Kong Free Press, March 5, 2020

指還押人士口罩不足 團體送口罩受阻 收押所衛生欠佳 區議員:似衛生地獄 ("A hygiene hell": District Councillor criticizes poor condition for arrestees in custody, groups blocked from delivering facemasks)
Stand News, March 5, 2020

Commentary (评论)

Hu Ping: Xi Jinping Owes an Apology to the Chinese People and the World
Human Rights in China, March 6, 2020

Related:
胡平:习近平欠中国人民一个道歉,欠世界一个道歉
Radio Free Asia, March 4, 2020

观察人士:面对疫情失控追责 中共试图改换话题(Observers: Facing demand for accountability for coronavirus epidemic, CPC tries to change the topic)
Voice of America, March 6, 2020

Why China's cruel imprisonment of my father should terrify us all
Washington Post, March 4, 2020