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, April 30, 2021

Xinjiang (新疆)

Xinjiang Cotton and the Shift in China’s Censorship Approach
The Diplomat, April 29, 2021

Related:
China Expands Disinformation Campaign to Undermine International Xinjiang Outcry
Radio Free Asia, April 29, 2021

Access to Justice (司法公正)

CHRD Follow-Up Communiqué Alleging Torture or Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment of former Chinese lawyer Ding Jiaxi, activists Xu Zhiyong, Li Qiaochu, and lawyer Chang Weiping during periods of their Enforced Disappearance and Arbitrary Detention in reprisals against them for Exercising their Freedom of Expression, Peaceful Assembly and Association
Chinese Human Rights Defenders, April 30, 2021

常玮平案:陕西省检察院拒绝受理刑讯逼供指控(Case of Shaanxi human rights lawyer Chang Weiping: Procuratorate refuses to accept case filing alleging torture)
Radio France Internationale, April 29, 2021

央视澳籍主播成蕾戴眼罩、手铐与领事视讯 曝光遭警告要求家人封口(Blindfolded and handcuffed, former CCTV Australian anchor Cheng Lei tells Australia's ambassador in video meeting authorities warned her family from speaking out)
Radio Free Asia, April 30, 2021

Related:
Australian mother marks nine months in Chinese prison as curious online posts emerge
ABC News (Australia), April 29, 2021

Taiwan (台湾)

台外长:中共没有统治台湾一天,如若犯台 台湾将战斗到底(Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs: CPC never rules Taiwan for one day. If it invades, Taiwan will fight to the end)
Voice of America, April 30, 2021

Access to Information (公众知情权)

China's Ruling Party Takes More Direct Control of Colleges, Universities
Radio Free Asia, April 30, 2021

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Feminists thwarting China's population goals
Politico, April 29, 2021

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Cracks appear in China's New Silk Road
Deutsche Welle, April 30, 2021

Related:
Chinese workers allege forced labor, abuses in Xi’s ‘Belt and Road’ program
The Washington Post, April 30, 2021

Hong Kong (香港)

Judges in Hong Kong’s first national security law trial rule that ‘great harm to society’ must be proven to secure terrorism conviction
South China Morning Post, April 29, 2021

Hong Kong’s High Court unanimously rejects appeal against Occupy convictions by Benny Tai, eight others
South China Morning Post, April 30, 2021

Nine Hong Kong pro-democracy activists who fled city by boat face new charge of perverting justice
Hong Kong Free Press, April 30, 2021

Hong Kong’s Joshua Wong and trio of fellow activists plead guilty to partaking in banned Tiananmen Massacre vigil
Hong Kong Free Press, April 30, 2021

Planned Hong Kong elections rule for delaying specific Legislative Council contests dropped in government U-turn
South China Morning Post, April 30, 2021

Deja vu on half-baked bill
The Standard, April 30, 2021

Related:
Lau voices fears new law will slam BNO door shut
The Standard, April 30, 2021

Rights groups slam Hong Kong lawmaker for ‘biased, racist and xenophobic remarks’ on refugees
Hong Kong Free Press, April 30, 2021

Security law 'sometimes necessary'
The Standard, April 30, 2021

Related:
警國安處拘兩人與理大生藏械案有關 28歲男涉煽動分裂國家(Police national security department arrests two for possession of firearms, one suspected of secession)
Ming Pao, April 30, 2021

區議員黃文萱宣佈退出公民黨兼不宣誓:做到最後一刻(Leticia Wong Man Huen quits Civic Party, refuses loyalty oath, and resigns as Shatin district councilor)
inmedia.hk, April 30, 2021

Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK axes more content – documentary on newspapers CitizenNews and HKFP scrapped after month-long vetting
Hong Kong Free Press, April 30, 2021

Hong Kong’s top university cuts ties with student union over national security ‘legal risk’
Hong Kong Free Press, April 30, 2021

Hong Kong visual arts teacher facing disciplinary action over ‘inappropriate’ lopolitical cartoons shared online
South China Morning Post, April 30, 2021

Related:
Two more Hong Kong teachers deregistered for life, one for ‘defaming the nation’ and the other for a protest-related crime
South China Morning Post, April 30, 2021

US cartoonist accuses Hong Kong publisher of theft over ‘McInvasion’ artwork in liberal studies textbook
Hong Kong Free Press, April 30, 2021

Majority of Hong Kong youth want to leave the city: survey
Apple Daily, April 29, 2021

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China summons Internet firms to warn over unfair competition
Agence France-Presse, April 29, 2021

Related:
Tencent Music: antitrust blitz introduces ominous theme
Financial Times, April 30, 2021

China’s Paper Tiger Surveillance State
The Diplomat, April 30, 2021

Chinese regulators tell fintech groups to fix ‘problems’
中国监管机构要求金融科技公司“整改”

Financial Times, April 30, 2021

Commentary (评论)

Biden Calls for U.S. to Enter a New Superpower Struggle
The New York Times, April 30, 2021

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Xinjiang (新疆)

The CCP Hand Behind China’s Xinjiang Cotton Backlash
The Diplomat, April 29, 2021

Access to Information (公众知情权)

China Renews Crackdown on Online Feminist Groups
Voice of America, April 28, 2021

China’s Propaganda Machine Misses Its Soft Power Moment
Protocol, April 28, 2021

中国人口“有增无减” 国家统计局欲盖弥彰?(China's population "is only increasing": Is National Bureau of Statistics covering up the truth?)
Voice of America, April 29, 2021

为配合百年党庆宣传 禁完网络论坛再禁脱口秀(On eve of 100th anniv. of founding of CPC, authorities ban online forums, talk shows)
Radio Free Asia, April 29, 2021

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Exclusive | China-EU investment deal casts long shadow over Beijing’s vague sanctions against Europeans
South China Morning Post, April 29, 2021

Related:
Germany’s Merkel Presses Chinese Prime Minister on Human Rights
Voice of America, April 28, 2021

Antony Blinken defends Trump-era moves against Chinese media outlets in the US
South China Morning Post, April 29, 2021

欧盟:中俄意图透过疫苗假讯息分裂西方国家(EU: Russia, China use disinformation on vaccines made in West to sow distrust)
Deutsche Welle, April 29, 2021

Related:
Russia, China sow disinformation to undermine trust in Western vaccines: EU
Reuters, April 28, 2021

布林肯:把中国官媒列为外国使团不是封锁 是为让公众了解真相(U.S. Secretary of State: Classifying Chinese official media as foreign missions is aimed at public disclosure, not information control)
Voice of America, April 29, 2021

默克尔促北京恢复人权对话,李克强:不要干涉中国内政(Merkel urges Beijing to resume human rights dialogue Li Keqiang: Do not meddle in China's internal affairs)
Voice of America, April 29, 2021

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China to fine internet giant Tencent in antitrust blitz: Report
Reuters, April 29, 2021

Related:
Government official working a shift as Meituan courier is featured in new Communist Party documentary
South China Morning Post, April 29, 2021

Fines Aren’t Alibaba’s Problem — Competition Is
China Film Insider, April 28, 2021

‘Dog Biting Dog’: China’s Online Fight Could Further Empower Beijing
中国科技巨头的“狗咬狗”式竞争

The New York Times, April 29, 2021

Hong Kong (香港)

Judges in Hong Kong’s first national security law trial rule that ‘great harm to society’ must be proven to secure terrorism conviction
South China Morning Post, April 29, 2021

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam heaps praise on Beijing-imposed electoral overhaul as she chats with guests on debut TV talk show
South China Morning Post, April 28, 2021

‘Not what I said’: Hong Kong Bar Assoc. chief Paul Harris clarifies security law comments
Hong Kong Free Press, April 29, 2021

【清算教師】視藝教師「vawongsir」被裁專業失德 或成釘牌第三人 教局指諷警暴漫畫為「無理指控」(Accused of professional misconduct, visual arts teacher may become 3rd educator to lose license over protests in 2019)
Stand News, April 29, 2021

12港人案|已回港9人加控妨礙司法公正明早提堂 消息:李宇軒除外 (12 Hong Konger case: 9 returnees to Hong Kong—excluding Andy Li—face additional charges of perverting the course of justice)
Stand News, April 29, 2021

民主黨吳兆康辭任中西區區議員 未交代是否與宣誓有關(Democratic Party member Ng Siu Hong resigns as Central and Western district councilor, unclear if related to oath-taking)
Stand News, April 29, 2021

US sounds alarm over fears of China-style ‘exit bans’ in Hong Kong
Agence France-Presse, April 29, 2021

Commentary (评论)

Beijing’s Crackdown on Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Hong Kong
The National Bureau of Asian Research, April 28, 2021

What a Crackdown Looks Like From Jail
The Atlantic, April 29, 2021

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Xinjiang (新疆)

Beijing takes foreign media to Xinjiang in bid to dispel suspicion
South China Morning Post, April 27, 2021

Tibet (西藏)

“西藏人权与民主促进中心”报告:中共持续严厉打压西藏人权 (Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy report: CPC continues severe human rights repression in Tibet)
Radio Free Asia, April 28, 2021

Related:
2020 Annual Report: Human Rights Situation in Tibet
Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, April 26, 2021

Access to Justice (司法公正)

CHINA RESPONDS TO LABOR ACTIVISTS’ DEMANDS WITH REPRESSION, ARRESTS
China Digital Times, April 27, 2021

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China to punish data exports to overseas courts as Beijing beefs up defence against US long arm
South China Morning Post, April 28, 2021

Hong Kong (香港)

Hong Kong security chief vows new immigration law aimed at asylum seekers will not let authorities bar residents from leaving city
South China Morning Post, April 28, 2021

Related:
有組織認為修訂條例削弱對最弱勢社群的平等保障(Justice Centre Hong Kong says Immigration Amendment Bill undermines fairness and human rights for the most deprived community)
Radio Television Hong Kong, April 28, 2021

Immigration (Amendment) Bill 2020 is likely to be passed into law this week. What do we know about it? What are the concerns?
Justice Centre Hong Kong, April 28, 2021

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam ‘most liberal-minded’ chief executive city has ever had, top government adviser says as he backs her to serve a second term
South China Morning Post, April 27, 2021

林鄭月娥:國民教育有缺失是不爭事實 政府決心改善(Carrie Lam: National education is indisputably lacking, gov’t is determined to improve it)
Radio Television Hong Kong, April 28, 2021

Hong Kong legal icons Martin Lee and Margaret Ng face Bar Council probe over peaceful demo convictions
Hong Kong Free Press, April 28, 2021

Related:
Does Hong Kong’s Bar Association need to ditch chairman Paul Harris to reset ties with Beijing? Or is the job a poisoned chalice?
South China Morning Post, April 28, 2021

Hong Kong bans Victoria Park’s Tiananmen Massacre vigil again, citing Covid-19 restrictions
Hong Kong Free Press, April 28, 2021