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.

Monday, February 05, 2018

Access to Justice (司法公正)

狱中福建人权律师纪斯尊境况危殆 处于昏迷状态 靠输氧呼吸 无法正常交谈 (Jailed Fujian human rights lawyer Ji Sizun, in coma and critical conditions)
Weiquanwang, February 4, 2018
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2018/02/blog-post_39.html

China, the Vatican and a controversial deal
British Broadcasting Corporation, February 4, 2018
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-42914029

吊销隋牧青律师证听证会今召开 各地律师、维权人士云集广州声援 (Guangzhou Justice Bureau hears Sui Muqing’s disbarment, lawyers and human rights defenders show up in solidarity)
Weiquanwang, February 3, 2018
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2018/02/blog-post_89.html

Related:
关注隋牧青律师吊牌事件联署签名活动正式结束 联署达2,788人 (2,788 people join petition in protest against disbarment of Sui Muqing)
Weiquanwang, February 3, 2018
http://wqw2010.blogspot.hk/2018/02/2788.html

Access to Information (信息公开)

US YouTube users to see “gov’t funded” labels on China’s Xinhua, and US-backed RFA videos
Hong Kong Free Press, February 5, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/02/05/us-youtube-users-see-govt-funded-labels-chinas-xinhua-us-backed-rfa-videos/

Sudden change at the top of CCTV
China Media Project, February 4, 2018
http://chinamediaproject.org/2018/02/02/sudden-change-at-the-top-of-china-central-television/

China’s hip-hop haters turn their ire to “Hanmai”
China Film Insider, February 4, 2018
http://chinafilminsider.com/chinas-hip-hop-haters-turn-ire-hanmai/

国家网信办等六部委联合整治炒作明星绯闻隐私和娱乐八卦 (Six ministries move against online providers of “vulgar” entertainment, gossips on celebrity scandals)
Cyberspace Administration of China, February 2, 2018
http://www.cac.gov.cn/2018-02/02/c_1122359930.htm

文化部:清理涉及经典革命歌曲的恶搞视频、音乐四千余条 (Ministry of Culture deletes 4,000 video and audios that spoof classic revolutionary songs)
Ministry of Culture, February 2, 2018
http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1981239

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

「青」入工運──青年參與者在1223反勞基法遊行的現場紀錄 (Youth in labor movement: A first-hand record of Taiwan Dec 23 Anti-Labor Law amendment rally)
The Initium, February 5, 2018
https://theinitium.com/article/20180202-opinion-nthu-1223-protest/

Government Accountability (政府问责)

2018年中央一号文件公布 近年来一号文件都说了些啥 (State Council issued the “No.1 Central Document”, continue its focus to the “three rural issues”)
The Beijing News, February 5, 2018
http://www.bjnews.com.cn/news/2018/02/05/475301.html

China expands battle against pollution to its top coal producing province
South China Morning Post, February 5, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/2131952/china-expands-battle-against-pollution-northwest-region

Decades after US immigration policy separated his family, a man searches for his ancestral village in China
Global Voices, February 4, 2018
https://globalvoices.org/2018/02/04/decades-after-us-immigration-policy-separated-his-family-a-man-searches-for-his-ancestral-village-in-china/

Theresa May, praised by Chinese media for her soft stance on human rights, gets roasted by British press
The Washington Post, February 3, 2018
https://goo.gl/9YjcmG

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

China cracks down on tech credit scoring
Financial Times, February 4, 2018
https://www.ft.com/content/f23e0cb2-07ec-11e8-9650-9c0ad2d7c5b5

Apple's China data center to open in 2020
Xinhua News Agency, February 4, 2018
http://english.sina.com/news/2018-02-04/detail-ifyremfz4548414.shtml

China’s swarms of smart drones have enormous military potential
The Diplomat, February 3, 2018
https://thediplomat.com/2018/02/chinas-swarms-of-smart-drones-have-enormous-military-potential/

National Security (国家安全和反恐)

China accuses US of “Cold War mentality” over nuclear policy
British Broadcasting Corporation, February 4, 2018
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42935758

Related:
China’s plan to use artificial intelligence to boost the thinking skills of nuclear submarine commanders
South China Morning Post, February 5, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2131127/chinas-plan-use-artificial-intelligence-boost-thinking-skills

Hong Kong (香港)

”Political interference”: Hong Kong’s top leaders express “regret” over Umbrella Movement’s Nobel Peace Prize nomination
Hong Kong Free Press, February 5, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/02/05/political-interference-hong-kongs-top-leaders-express-regret-umbrella-movements-nobel-peace-prize-nomination/

Related:
Enemy of the state? Agnes Chow, the 21-year-old activist who has China worried
The Guardian, February 4, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/04/agnes-chow-hong-kong-activist-who-has-china-worried-democracy

Opposition to controversial national security law could become new reason for Legco election ban, Beijing adviser says
South China Morning Post, February 5, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2132013/opposition-controversial-national-security-law-could-become

Hong Kong government accused of lying to public over how many houses could be built on exclusive golf course
South China Morning Post, February 5, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2131958/hong-kong-government-accused-lying-public-over-how

Is Beijing envoy’s personal travelogue a veiled boost for joint checkpoints at Hong Kong-mainland China link?
South China Morning Post, February 5, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2131957/beijing-envoys-personal-travelogue-veiled-boost-joint

Hong Kong democracy activists urge UK to release unseen files
The Guardian, February 4, 2018
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/04/hong-kong-democracy-activists-urge-uk-release-unseen-files-foreign-office

Withdraw outdated school sex education guidelines, Hong Kong lawmaker Ray Chan suggests
Hong Kong Free Press, February 4, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/02/04/withdraw-outdated-school-sex-education-guidelines-hong-kong-lawmaker-ray-chan-suggests/

Commentary (评论)

專權選舉的自由陰影 (Freedom under the shadow of authoritarian election)
Mingpao, February 5, 2018
https://news.mingpao.com/ins/instantnews/web_tc/article/20180205/s00022/1517745344954

China’s credit ratings plan: from social media to medium of social control
South China Morning Post, February 5, 2018
http://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/2131737/chinas-credit-ratings-plan-social-media-medium-social-control

Related:
China's surveillance state should scare everyone
The Atlantic, February 5, 2018
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/02/china-surveillance/552203/

Our hackable political future
The New York Times, February 4, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/04/opinion/hacking-politics-future.html

China’s “Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location” – a license to disappear, hold and torture dissenters
Hong Kong Free Press, February 4, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/02/04/chinas-residential-surveillance-designated-location-licence-disappear-hold-torture-dissenters/

Under neo-totalitarianism, there is no “civil society” in China
China Change, February 4, 2018
https://chinachange.org/2018/02/04/under-neo-totalitarianism-there-is-no-civil-society-in-china/

Journalism denied: How China views facts, fairness, transparency and objectivity in reporting
Hong Kong Free Press, February 4, 2018
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2018/02/04/journalism-denied-china-views-facts-fairness-transparency-objectivity-reporting/