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, August 07, 2015

Access to Justice (司法公正)

China detains lawyer who accused police of torture, his wife says
The New York Times, August 7, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/08/world/asia/china-detains-yu-wensheng-lawyer-who-accused-police-of-torture-his-wife-says.html

China accuses prominent rights lawyer of inciting subversion
Reuters, August 7, 2015
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/07/us-china-rights-idUSKCN0QC1AO20150807

律师在内200多人联署控告中国公安部抗议警方大规模抓捕威胁律师 (Over 200 people including lawyers submit written complaint against Chinese Public Security Ministry to protest large-scale detention, intimidation of lawyers)
Radio France Internationale, August 6, 2015
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20150806-律师在内200多人联署控告中国公安部抗议警方大规模抓捕威胁律师

Related:
“710 Crackdown” Case Updates (1 August 2015-7 August 2015)
China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group, August 7, 2015
http://www.chrlawyers.hk/en/content/%E2%80%9C710-crackdown%E2%80%9D-case-updates

Mass crackdown on Chinese lawyers and defenders: Courageous voices
中国大规模镇压维权律师和活跃人士:向强权说“不!” Human Rights in China, August 7, 2015
EN:http://www.hrichina.org/en/courageous-voices
CH:http://www.hrichina.org/chs/xiang-qiang-quan-shuo-bu

Activists call on China to free jailed journalist Gao Yu
Deutsche Welle, August 6, 2015
http://www.dw.com/en/activists-call-on-china-to-free-jailed-journalist-gao-yu/a-18631514

“I am pregnant, but there's nobody to look after me”
Radio Free Asia, August 6, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/pregnant-08062015103357.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

China orders amateur sex videos scrubbed from social media, threatens to punish offenders
South China Morning Post, August 6, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1847113/china-orders-amateur-sex-videos-scrubbed-social-media

Taylor Swift's advisers “discussing removing 1989 logo” from some of clothing line sold in China
South China Morning Post, August 7, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/1847303/taylor-swifts-advisers-discussing-removing-1989-logo-some

“It's getting worse”: China's liberal academics fear growing censorship
The Guardian, August 6, 2015
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/06/china-xi-jinping-crackdown-liberal-academics-minor-cultural-revolution

China's cities “not telling public about debt levels”
Caixin, August 6, 2015
http://english.caixin.com/2015-08-06/100837111.html

Chinese government officials to give university lectures to “improve students’ political education”
South China Morning Post, August 6, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1847015/chinese-government-officials-give-university-lectures

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Hundreds march in China to protest pollution, gov’t indifference
Hong Kong Free Press, August 7,2 015
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2015/08/07/hundreds-march-in-china-to-protest-pollution-govt-indifference/

Despite millions of recruits, criticism of China’s online civilization army mounts
Hontg Kong Free Press, August 6, 2015
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2015/08/06/despite-millions-of-recruits-criticism-of-chinas-online-civilization-army-mounts/

Related:
How China's online civilization army turned a youth street fight into a patriotic struggle
Global Witness, July 31, 2015
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2015/07/30/how-chinas-online-civilization-army-turned-a-youth-street-fight-into-a-patriotic-struggle/

浙江当局威胁升级 “不拆十字架就拆教堂” (Zhejiang authorities step up threats: “If we don’t tear down the cross, we’ll tear down the church”)
Radio Free Asia, August 6, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shehui/yf2-08062015113409.html

Related:
Chinese Christians hold protest on church roof to protect cross
Reuters, August 6, 2015
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/06/us-china-rights-idUSKCN0QB18820150806

德媒:艾未未还不像一个获得了自由的人 (German media: Ai Weiwei still doesn't look like a freed man)
Radio Free Asia, August 6, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/meiti/gr-08062015102435.html

Related:
Ai Weiwei: “All I ask for is a normal life”
SZ International, August 6, 2015
http://international.sueddeutsche.de/post/126018336495/ai-weiwei-all-i-ask-for-is-a-normal-life

Government Accountability (政府问责)

At sea in the city: When building cities, someone forgot the drains
The Economist, August 8, 2015
http://www.economist.com/news/china/21660576-when-building-cities-someone-forgot-drains-sea-city

中国证监会投资者保护局原局长李量因收受贿赂等被双开—中纪委 (China's former senior regulatory official to face prosecution for graft)
Reuters August 7,2 015
http://cn.reuters.com/article/2015/08/07/cn-crim-idCNKCS0QC0QX20150807

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

Divine Eagle: How much of a threat is China's new high-flying drone to U.S. air superiority?
The Independent, August 6, 2015
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/divine-eagle-how-much-of-a-threat-is-chinas-new-highflying-drone-to-us-air-superiority-10441385.html

Hong Kong (香港)

Student activist group founder found guilty of obstructing police officer on Christmas morning
South China Morning Post, August 7, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1847247/student-activist-guilty-obstructing-police-officer

称遭公安屈打成招刘进图“刀手”指中央不想政治化 (Defendant in ex Mingpao chief editor assault case: Tortured to confess by public security officers)
Radio France Internationale, August 7, 2015
http://cn.rfi.fr/中国/20150807-称遭公安屈打成招刘进图“刀手”指中央不想政治化

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

Asean talks: Beijing's South China Sea island-building “increasing tensions”
The Guardian, August 6, 2015
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/07/asean-talks-beijing-south-china-sea-increasing-tensions

China confirms Uighur repatriation fears
Financial Times, August 5, 2015
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/e9940340-3b3a-11e5-bbd1-b37bc06f590c.html

美敦促中国在反恐中保护宗教自由 (U.S. urges China to protect religious freedom in the fight against terrorism)
Voice of America, August 7, 2015
http://www.voachinese.com/content/us-china-counter-terrorism-20150806/2905109.html

Opinion and Editorial (观点和社论)

Beijing Olympic scandal redux
The Wall Street Journal, August 6, 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/beijing-olympic-scandal-redux-1438880174

Should the U.S. extradite Chinese wanted by Beijing?
China File, August 7, 2015
http://www.chinafile.com/conversation/should-us-extradite-chinese-wanted-beijing

China, the internet you’re looking for does not exist
Foreign Policy, August 6, 2015
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/08/06/china-the-internet-youre-looking-for-does-not-exist/

Increasing engagement with Human Rights Council must be matched by respect for civil society at home
The International Service for Human Rights, July 28, 2015
http://www.ishr.ch/news/china-increasing-engagement-human-rights-council-must-be-matched-respect-civil-society-home

时事大家谈:在中国当官为何成为高危职业 (Current affairs talk: How officialdom became a high-risk profession in China)
Voice of America, August 7, 2015
http://www.voachinese.com/content/voaweishi-io-1-20150806/2903824.html

China’s naked emperors
中国皇帝的新装
The New York Times, August 7, 2015
http://cn.nytimes.com/opinion/20150806/c06krugman/dual/

Attempt to subvert academic freedom in Hong Kong is far worse than disrupting the HKU council
South China Morning Post, August 6, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1847100/attempt-subvert-academic-freedom-hong-kong-far-worse