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 18, 2017

Access to Justice (司法公正)

709案代理律师因被软禁提控告 王全璋家人遭恐吓 (709 defense lawyer accuses authorities of placing him under house arrest, Wang Quanzhang’s family suffers intimidation)
Radio Free Asia, August 17, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/xl1-08172017114127.html

广东海祭案通报:马强被拘捕 李舒嘉、李肇强获释 目前仍有5人被拘押 (Guangdong Liu Xiaobo sea memorial case update: Ma Qiang arrested, Li Shujia and Li Zhaoqiang released, five currently still detained)
Weiquanwang, August 17, 2017
http://wqw2010.blogspot.com/2017/08/5_17.html

China jails ethnic Kazakh man for “helping others emigrate to Kazakhstan”
Radio Free Asia, August 16, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/kazakh-emigration-08162017132014.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

China targets Alibaba's Taobao, other e-commerce sites, in VPN crackdown
Reuters, August 17, 2017
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-censorship-vpn-idUSKCN1AX0KX

“We were all deceived”: Local Chinese gov’t backtracks after claiming no casualties in fatal mining accident
Hong Kong Free Press, August 16, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/08/16/deceived-local-chinese-govt-backtracks-claiming-no-casualties-fatal-mining-accident/

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

河北廊坊市民办和代课教师200余人穿文化衫在市政府上访维权 (Over 200 teachers in Langfang, Hebei, protest at local gov’t demanding compensation and official status after dismissal)
Weiquanwang, August 17, 2017
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2017/08/200.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Deputy county head fired for lax environmental oversight
Sixth Tone, August 17, 2017
http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1000694/deputy-county-head-fired-for-lax-environmental-oversight#

2 disease control officials punished over HIV/AIDS
China Daily, August 17, 2017
http://www.china.org.cn/china/2017-08/17/content_41424617.htm

山西省长治市政协原副主席魏武被开除公职 (Changzhi, Shanxi CPCC vice-chairwoman Wei Wu dismissed from office)
The Paper, August 17, 2017
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1766572

Former head of Chinese news agency investigated for graft
Reuters, August 16, 2017
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-corruption-publishing-idUSKCN1AW0UQ

中央环保督察问责结果或公开 问责级别之高或出乎意料 (Environmental monitoring groups dispatched across the country and may publish their findings)
Legal Daily, August 17, 2017
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2017-08/17/c_1121495329.htm

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

苹果之后轮到淘宝,中国再出手打压VPN (Taobao follows suit of Apple and removes VPN from online stores)
Voice of America, August 18, 2017
https://www.voachinese.com/a/china-intensifying-crackdown-vpn-20170817/3990729.html

北师大将在全部宿舍安装人脸识别门禁系统 步入全面刷脸时代 (Students at Beijing Normal University have to get their faces scanned to enter dormitories)
Beijing New, August 18, 2017
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/news/2017/08/18/454750.html

国内首个邪教举报求助网络平台落成 举报最高可获2000元奖励 (China’s first cult reporting and assistance-seeking website is now active, reporters can be rewarded up to 2,000 yuan)
Legal Evening News, August 17, 2017
http://www.fawan.com/2017/08/17/386081t185.html?kuaixun&_zbs_baidu_news

浙江省网信办约谈淘宝网、同花顺金融网等5家网站 (Zhejiang cyberspace authority criticizes Taobao and four other websites for selling illegal VPN services and online accounts)
Wang Xin Zhejiang, August 17, 2017
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1765707

China plans to build "world-famous" cybersecurity schools in 10 years
The Diplomat, August 18, 2017
http://thediplomat.com/2017/08/china-plans-to-build-world-famous-cyber-security-schools-in-ten-years/

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

新疆加速汉化 招聘内地3万余人 (Assimilation accelerated in Xinjiang, mainland recruitment exceeds 30,000)
Radio Free Asia, August 17, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shaoshuminzu/ql1-08172017114012.html

Hong Kong (香港)

Joshua Wong & Nathan Law’s political party faces wipe-out, as it decries “abuse of judicial procedures”
Hong Kong Free Press, August 17, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/08/17/joshua-wong-nathan-laws-political-party-faces-wipe-decries-abuse-judicial-procedures/

Related:
“No political motive” behind seeking jail terms for student protesters, Hong Kong justice minister claims
South China Morning Post, August 18, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2107295/no-political-motive-behind-seeking-jail-terms-student

路透社引政府消息:袁國強推翻檢控人員建議 堅持上訴 (Reuters: Rimsky Yuen said to have overruled Hong Kong prosecutors’ recommendation on student leaders’ case and insisted on appealing)
Standnews, August 17, 2017
https://www.thestandnews.com/politics/公民廣場案-路透社引政府消息-袁國強推翻檢控人員建議-堅持上訴/

U.S. politicians warn Hong Kong’s special status may be axed amid “political prosecution” of democracy figures
Hong Kong Free Press, August 17, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/08/17/us-politicians-warn-hong-kongs-special-status-may-axed-amid-political-prosecution-democracy-figures/

Joshua Wong says party will send “most capable” candidates even if jail keeps him out of by-elections
South China Morning Post, August 17, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2107129/activist-joshua-wong-says-party-will-send-most-capable

Hong Kong jailings could lend democracy cause greater legitimacy
The Guardian, August 17, 2017
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/17/hong-kong-jailings-democracy-greater-legitimacy

美國CECC:北京圖用司法制度打壓香港民主運動 (U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China: Beijing is actively trying to decimate the pro-democracy movement, apparently using Hong Kong’s courts and prosecutors to further its political agenda)
Radio Television Hong Kong, August 17, 2017
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1348811-20170817.htm

10 reactions to Hong Kong’s jailing of democracy figures Joshua Wong, Nathan Law & Alex Chow
Hong Kong Free Press, August 17, 2017
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/08/17/10-reactions-hong-kongs-jailing-democracy-figures-joshua-wong-nathan-law-alex-chow/

Hong Kong’s mainland affairs chief accused of “one country, two systems” breach over by-elections
South China Morning Post, August 17, 2017
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2107152/hong-kongs-mainland-affairs-chief-accused-one-country-two

千人政總外集會 聲援東北案13名政治犯 (Over 1,000 gather in front of gov’t headquarters to support the 13 political prisoners in the New Territory land rights case)
Inmediahk, August 17, 2017
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1051449

Commentary (评论)

Political prisoners in Hong Kong
ChinaFile, August 18, 2017
http://www.chinafile.com/conversation/political-prisoners-hong-kong

嶺大學生會會長:繼續抗爭,低潮都要走出嚟 (Lingnan University Student Union President: Continue the struggle and walk out of the slump)
Inmediahk, August 17, 2017
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1051445

周永康父親:做咗嘅事要面對 3年輕人做事無私為子感驕傲 (Father of Alex Chow: I am proud of what the three young people did)
Mingpao, August 17, 2017
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20170817/s00001/1502961429138