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.

Wednesday, December 02, 2020

Access to Justice (司法公正)

自“709”案一直无法正常执业 维权律师王宇被北京当局注销执照 (Unable to practice law normally since the 709 Crackdown, rights lawyer Wang Yu just learned her license has been revoked)
Radio Free Asia, December 1, 2020

Father of detained Chinese human rights lawyer speaks out about ‘inhumane’ treatment
South China Morning Post, December 2, 2020

Access to Information (公众知情权)

Beijing controls Chinese-language media agencies in Australia, says intel agency
Sydney Morning Herald, December 2, 2020

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Chinese #MeToo pioneer Zhou Xiaoxhuan gets her day in court as she sues TV host Zhu Jun for allegedly sexually harrassing her
South China Morning Post, December 2, 2020

Government Accountability (政府问责)

The Wuhan files - Leaked documents reveal China's mishandling of the early stages of Covid-19
CNN, December 1, 2020

北京下令年底为所有贫困县摘帽 真正贫困户因此失去补助 (Beijing orders all poor counties to remove status by end of year; families living below poverty line fear losing gov’t assistance)
Radio Free Asia, December 2, 2020

Hong Kong (香港)

Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow Are Sentenced Over Hong Kong Protest
黄之锋因2019年抗议活动获刑13个半月

The New York Times, December 2, 2020

20 police officers arrest Hong Kong student leader over purchase of laser pointers during 2019 demos
Hong Kong Free Press, December 2, 2020

Current affairs not suitable for teaching in revamped liberal studies, Hong Kong education chief says
South China Morning Post, December 2, 2020

National security law: Hong Kong education minister says schools should call police if they cannot handle students’ violations
South China Morning Post, December 2, 2020

i-Cable’s China reporters resign in protest after 40 colleagues sacked
Hong Kong Free Press, December 2, 2020

Ex-Hong Kong lawmaker asks Europe to provide ‘safe haven’
Associated Press, December 2, 2020

Is Hong Kong Heading Toward a Russian-Style Electoral System?
The Diplomat, December 2, 2020

Hong Kong national security law: Legco exodus, loyalty oaths, liberal studies overhaul mark legislation’s fifth month
South China Morning Post, December 2, 2020

美國會委員會指港人被專制統治 籲華府降簽證門檻 港府反駁:一國兩制非國際義務 (USCC report says Hong Kongers are under authoritarian rule, urges US to remove visa barriers; HK gov't: “One country, two systems” is not an international obligation)
Stand News, December 2, 2020

Related:
2020 Annual Report to Congress
U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, December 1, 2020

特區政府強烈反駁美中經濟與安全審議委員會報告
HKSARG vehemently refutes groundless accusations of report by United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, December 2, 2020

外交部驻港公署批驳美涉港报告:谎话连篇 废纸一张
Office of the Commissioner of PRC Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong: US report attacking Hong Kong is a piece of waste paper full of lies
Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, December 2, 2020

【送中第 101 日】18 國共 150 政要聯署 促林鄭月娥向北京要求釋放 12 港人 (150 prominent politicians from 18 countries urge Carrie Lam to request release of Hong Kong 12)
Stand News, December 1, 2020

Related:
155 parliamentarians from 18 countries publish open letter to Carrie Lam on case of 12 HK youths, 100 days after they were detained in Shenzhen
Hong Kong Watch, December 1, 2020

Commentary (评论)

Hong Kong protests: show arrested youth some mercy, to begin the healing process in society
South China Morning Post, December 2, 2020

Tuesday, December 01, 2020

Xinjiang (新疆)

Australian researcher hits back at Chinese tabloid over Xinjiang report
South China Morning Post, November 30, 2020

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Worker’s plea for help spurs local trade union into action
China Labour Bulletin, December 1, 2020

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Leadership of U.N. Human Rights Body Becomes Proxy Battle for World Powers
The New York Times, November 29, 2020

中国拟放宽生育限制 继续政府干预还是给予生育选择权? (As China plans to relax population control, will gov’t continue to intervene in or grant reproductive choices?)
Voice of America, December 1, 2020

China refuses to apologise to Australia for fake soldier image
British Broadcasting Corporation, December 1, 2020

Related:
China refutes Australia's accusation of tweeting "fake image"
Xinhua, December 1, 2020

China's patriotic media continues tirade against Australia
Sydney Morning Herald, December 1, 2020

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong official who resigned over history exam question reveals ‘immense political pressure’
Hong Kong Free Press, December 1, 2020

Hong Kong protests: student who suffered fatal injuries in car park fall last year was alone at the time of accident, court hears
South China Morning Post, December 1, 2020

In Pictures: Hongkongers commemorate Prince Edward MTR incident despite police ban on laying flowers
Hong Kong Free Press, December 1, 2020

Explainer: How the national security law changed Hong Kong – month 5
Hong Kong Free Press, December 1, 2020

“表现恶劣”:中国宣布制裁四名美国人 (China announces sanctions on 4 Americans who “behaved badly” on Hong Kong-related issues)
Deutsche Welle, November 30, 2020

Related:
2020年11月30日外交部发言人华春莹主持例行记者会
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on November 30, 2020
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, November 30, 2020

Hong Kong's i-Cable TV Fires Dozens of Its Best Journalists
Radio Free Asia, December 1, 2020

Related:
記協質疑裁《刺針》以節流為名減敏感報道 (Hong Kong Journalists Association questions Hong Kong Cable Television cut News Lancet to reduce reporting on sensitive issues in name of resource crunch)
Radio Television Hong Kong, December 1, 2020

Commentary (评论)

History shows the dangerous folly of Carrie Lam’s unopposed governance
South China Morning Post, December 1, 2020

China is humiliating Australia as an example to others - but the bullying won't last
Sydney Morning Herald, December 2, 2020

Monday, November 30, 2020

Xinjiang (新疆)

Uighurs: China rebuffs Pope's criticism as 'groundless'
British Broadcasting Corporation, November 25, 2020

維族學者與弟弟失聯4年 北京證實遭判刑9年 (Uyghur scholar learns that her brother, missing for 4 years, has been sentenced by authorities to 9-year sentence for “splittism”)
Deutsche Welle, November 30, 2020

Taiwan (台湾)

Exiled bookseller: 'If they can take Hong Kong back, the next place is Taiwan'
The Guardian, November 29, 2020

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China Looks Set to Prosecute Hong Kong 12 For 'Illegal Border Crossings'
Radio Free Asia, November 27, 2020

Chinese Rights Activist Who Opposed Hong Kong Security Law 'Tortured'
Radio Free Asia, November 26, 2020

Government Accountability (政府问责)

China should be 'totally ashamed': Scott Morrison demands China take down post
Sydney Morning Herald, November 30, 2020

China bars four US NGO workers from entry in Hong Kong tit-for-tat
South China Morning Post, November 30, 2020

Beijing Takes Its South China Sea Strategy to the Himalayas
延续南海策略,中国在喜马拉雅争议地区建村庄

The New York Times, November 30, 2020

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Privacy in China: the growth of facial recognition technology in the private sector raises concerns about security and identity
South China Morning Post, November 26, 2020

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong’s Courts Are Still Independent. Some Want to Rein Them In.
香港的司法体系还能保持独立多久?

The New York Times, November 30, 2020

Related:
戴啟思憂北京將猛攻香港司法系統 或修改《基本法》DQ法官 (Philip Dykes, head of Hong Kong Bar Association, fears Beijing will aggressively attack Hong Kong's judicial system or amend Basic Law to disqualify judges)
Stand News, November 26, 2020

Hong Kong student who suffered fatal injuries in car park fall near protest site last year was unlikely to have lost balance, inquest hears
South China Morning Post, November 30, 2020

Hong Kong liberal studies to be renamed and reformed – more China content, less focus on current affairs
Hong Kong Free Press, November 27, 2020

Related:
Hong Kong to rename liberal studies and require students visit mainland China under wide-reaching reforms to subject
South China Morning Post, November 26, 2020

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam defends liberal studies reform, and says subject was not meant to be debate exercise on current affairs
South China Morning Post, November 28, 2020

'Remarkably effective': Carrie Lam praises Hong Kong national security law
The Guardian, November 25, 2020

Related:
LIVE: Chief Exec. Carrie Lam’s Hong Kong Policy Address 2020 & press conference
Hong Kong Free Press, November 25, 2020

AP Interview: HK lawmaker says democracy fight needs rethink
Associated Press, November 29, 2020

‘Be water’ licence plate banned by Hong Kong Transport Dep’t as it ‘may cause danger’ to road users
Hong Kong Free Press, November 30, 2020

Carrie Lam interview: Hong Kong’s leader in her own words on protests, political turmoil and what next for the city
South China Morning Post, November 30, 2020

Commentary (评论)

No stone left unturned: The Basic Law Hongkongers thought they knew is being demolished
Hong Kong Free Press, November 28, 2020

What’s left of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council must show it can work for city’s interests
South China Morning Post, November 28, 2020

議員資格外,常委會決定值得注意的地方:中國憲法52和54條
Besides DQ, What Was Overlooked in NPCSC Decision
CitizenNews, November 26, 2020

Reports of Hong Kong’s Death Are Greatly Exaggerated
香港民主运动未死

The New York Times, November 26, 2020