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, March 16, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

When Xi speaks, Chinese officials jump. Maybe too high.
The New York Times, March 16, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/16/world/asia/xi-jinping-china-power.html

New China “crime” crackdown targets threats to party rule
Associated Press, March 15, 2018
https://www.voanews.com/a/new-china-crime-crackdown-targets-threats-to-party-rule/4301254.html

709案代理律师李昱函被起诉 (Rights lawyer and 709 Crackdown legal counsel Li Yuhan officially charged)
Radio Free Asia, March 15, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/gf1-03152018114321.html

哥哥拘押中死亡 广东张唯楚找工作受阻 (Guangdong police warns local company not to hire woman who demands justice for bother died under detention)
Radio Free Asia, March 15, 2018
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/yf1-03152018114044.html

代表热议贯彻落实全面依法治国基本方略, 党的领导是深化依法治国实践主心骨 (NPC deputies stress Party leadership as pillar of “intensifying governing the country by law”)
Legal Daily, March 15, 2018
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2018-03/15/content_7497575.htm

全国政协十三届一次会议共收到提案5360件, 发展社会主义民主政治方面建议反映比较集中 (CPPCC concludes with 5,360 proposals received, most focus on developing “socialist democracy” and “enhancing comprehensive Party leadership”)
Legal Daily, March 15, 2018
http://www.legaldaily.com.cn/index_article/content/2018-03/15/content_7497572.htm

Related:
China Focus: China's top political advisory body concludes annual session, stressing CPC leadership
Xinhua News Agency, March 15, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-03/15/c_137041743.htm

Access to Information (信息公开)

China says political education for students now back on track
Reuters, March 16, 2018
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-parliament-education/china-says-political-education-for-students-now-back-on-track-idUSKCN1GS0DI

In Pictures: An eye-roll goes viral in China, as censors put a lid on it
Agence France-Presse, March 15, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/15/pictures-eye-roll-goes-viral-china-censors-put-lid/

A bar street falls quiet as Beijing puts a limit on foreigners
北京加強管控,酒吧被要求限制外國顧客人數
The New York Times, March 15, 2018
EN: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/15/world/asia/china-beijing-foreigners.html
CH: https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20180316/china-beijing-foreigners/zh-hant/

Guns for hire: China’s social media militia engage on command
Sixthtone, March 12, 2018
http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1001904/guns-for-hire-chinas-social-media-militia-engage-on-command

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Ethnic Uyghurs protest Chinese security crackdown
Associated Press, March 16, 2018
https://apnews.com/7817b44ef57641d8a36cd1fe17a1e379

Chinese protest removal of presidential term limits outside China
北加州华人集会抗议习近平修宪终身执政
Radio Free Asia, March 15, 2018
EN: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/removal-03152018144934.html
CH: https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/zhengzhi/ck-03152018094024.html/

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Will Wang Qishan’s new job become a problem for the Communist Party?
South China Morning Post, March 16, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2137398/will-wang-qishans-new-job-become-problem-communist

聚焦监察法草案:留置调查措施不是刑事强制措施 (China Discipline Inspection Daily: “Retention in custody” (liuzhi) not a criminal coercive measure, investigation will abide by constitution and “utilize” Party rules)
China Discipline Inspection Daily, March 15, 2018
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2029456

China’s peasants left for the cities to seek their fortune, and it made them miserable
The Washington Post, March 15, 2018
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/03/15/chinas-peasants-left-for-the-cities-to-seek-their-fortune-and-it-made-them-miserable/

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

以法为鉴 浙江首个互联网+失信联动惩戒平台上线 (Zhejiang launches first online credit information sharing and punishing platform)
Chinanews.com, March 16, 2018
http://politics.people.com.cn/n1/2018/0316/c1001-29871491.html

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

Chinese hackers accused of targeting US defense firms linked to South China Sea
Bloomberg, March 16, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2137496/chinese-hackers-accused-targeting-us-defence-firms

Petition campaign sparked by Chinese reporter’s dramatic eye roll demands probe of US broadcaster’s Communist Party ties
South China Morning Post, March 16, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2137428/petition-campaign-sparked-chinese-reporters-dramatic-eye-roll

Chinese students blacklisted for refusing to carry out compulsory military training
South China Morning Post, March 16, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2137469/chinese-students-blacklisted-refusing-carry-out-compulsory

Hong Kong (香港)

港府提建議 侮辱國歌最高監禁3年 (SAR gov suggests up to 3 years imprisonment for insulting Chinese national anthem)
Central News Agency, March 16, 2018
http://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/201803160203-1.aspx

No interim ban against Hong Kong by-election winner being sworn in
South China Morning Post, March 16, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2137432/no-interim-ban-against-hong-kong-election-winner-being

Related:
Defeated by-election candidate Edward Yiu says he may run in 2019 District Council elections
Hong Kong Free Press, March 16, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/16/defeated-election-candidate-edward-yiu-says-may-run-2019-district-council-elections/

UK warns of increasing Beijing pressure on Hong Kong after activist jailings and ousting of lawmakers
Agence France-Presse, March 16, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/16/uk-warns-increasing-beijing-pressure-hong-kong-activist-jailings-ousting-lawmakers/

Related:
外交部駐港特派員公署促英方 停止對香港事務說三道四 (Office of the Commissioner of  MFA urges UK to stop making random and irresponsible remarks on HK issues)
Radio Television Hong Kong, March 15, 2018
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1386095-20180315.htm

Hong Kong gov’t ignored 723 hectares of brownfield land that could be used for 84,000 flats, say researchers
Hong Kong Free Press, March 16, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/16/hong-kong-govt-ignored-723-hectares-brownfield-land-used-84000-flats-say-researchers/

City of sadness? Hong Kong drops five spots to 76th in UN World Happiness Report
Hong Kong Free Press, March 15, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/03/15/city-sadness-hong-kong-drops-five-spots-76th-un-world-happiness-report/

Commentary (评论)

香港保守主義的反挫與部落政治的宿命 (The counterblow of Hong Kong conservatism and the loop of tribal politics)
The Initium, March 16, 2018
https://theinitium.com/article/20180316-opinion-anderson-311/

Hong Kong must stop clinging to the fiction of racial superiority and treat foreign domestic helpers with respect
South China Morning Post, March 16, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2137310/hong-kong-must-stop-clinging-fiction-racial-superiority-and

Xi Jinping and China's return to one-man rule
The Diplomat, March 15, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/03/xi-jinping-and-chinas-return-to-one-man-rule/

Campaign of forced evictions in Beijing contravenes international human rights standards
Congressional-Executive Commission on China, March 14, 2018
https://www.cecc.gov/publications/commission-analysis/campaign-of-forced-evictions-in-beijing-contravenes-international