Top News 头条
The environment for press freedom in Hong Kong has become perilous, especially after the recent adoption of national security legislation under Article 23. Last week, a representative from Reporters Without Borders was detained and questioned for six hours upon arrival in Hong Kong and her belongings were searched three times before she was put on a flight back to Taipei. No specific reason was given for the expulsion of the journalist, who had intended to monitor the ongoing national security trial of Jimmy Lai. Furthermore, according to a new report by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China, foreign journalists in China are being monitored by drones, detained, harassed and threatened with non-renewal of their work permits if they report on topics deemed sensitive by the government. Those surveyed also believed there was evidence of digital surveillance through communication apps or that their homes or offices are bugged.
In the meantime, China’s determined push to enhance its influence across Southeast Asia and beyond through media diplomacy, partnerships, and journalism outreach programs is expanding: the Star Media Group, one of Malaysia’s largest integrated media conglomerates, announced a partnership with China’s Contemporary World magazine, an outlet directly under the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.
Law & Policy 法律与政策
Regulations on the Management of Video Imaging Information Systems in Public Spaces (Draft for Solicitation of Public Comments): A new draft law on video imaging systems has been made available for solicitation of public comment. This law raises issues regarding right to privacy in the name of “maintaining public safety.”
The Supreme People's Court's Interpretation (2) on the Application of the PRC Civil Code’s Marriage and Family Section (Draft for solicitation of Comments): New interpretations on the Civil Code’s Marriage and Family Section include are largely focused on clarifying divorce rules and granting protections to children who are featured in digital content. The new rules appear to be part of the CCP’s recent push to make traditional family roles for appealing for women.
Cyber Security & Digital Rights 网络安全与数字权利
Tales of Anti-Fraud Center Overreach: Freezing Your Bank Cards "For Your Own Good": From the moment the National Anti-Fraud Center app was rolled out in March 2021 as part of Xi Jinping’s campaign against telecom and internet fraud, it was viewed with suspicion by many citizens, due to its wide-ranging surveillance capabilities and potential for invasions of privacy. Now, there are reports of Anti-Fraud Centers harassing and freezing the bank cards of individuals who call friends or family members overseas, justified as cracking down on telephone scams.
Hong Kong jails Portuguese national for overseas social media posts: A Hong Kong court has handed a five-year jail term to a dual Portuguese national and UK resident for "incitement to secession" for publishing 42 social media posts on social media on behalf of a pro-Hong Kong independence political party that was registered in the UK. He is the first European dual national to be convicted under Hong Kong's 2020 National Security Law.
Diaspora Community & Transnational Repression 海外社群和跨国镇压
HRIC Holds Screening of Chow Hang-tung Documentary at Catholic University of America: On April 14, HRIC and the Asian Association of the Catholic University of America held a screening of “She’s in Jail,” the recently released documentary about imprisoned Hong Kong lawyer and pro-democracy activist Chow Hang-tung. One attendee commented that he “found [the event] to be hugely enlightening.” At the conclusion of the event, Director Zhou informed attendees that they could send a letter to Chow by emailing June4HK@proton.me, as well as sharing their experiences and feelings related to the 1989 Democracy Movement.
China meddled in past two Canada elections, says Justin Trudeau: The Canadian Prime Minister testified that China did attempt to meddle in the prior two elections, but said the outcome was “not affected.” The elections in question were conducted amid high tensions between the countries over the arrest of an executive of the Chinese company Huawei Technologies in Canada, followed by the arrest of two Canadians on spying charges in China.
Human Rights Defenders & Civil Society 人权捍卫者与公民社会
Xi Jinping and Collective Punishment of Human Rights Defenders’ Families: According to a new report by Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Chinese authorities regularly inflict collective punishment against families of activists and dissidents – penalizing them by proxy by harming their children, spouses, or parents.
Canada asylum-seeker recalls 'all kinds of torture' in Chinese jail: Human rights defender Wei Yani describes the kind or tortures she has experienced while imprisoned for her activist work: inmates are fed poor food, for which they pay 7 yuan (about US$1) a day, and are only allowed to bathe once in 15 days. They are also forced to wake up to answer random "roll calls" at any time of the day or night, amongst other ill-treatment.
Tiananmen vigil trio turn to Hong Kong’s top court to try and challenge convictions over nat. security request: Activists Chow Hang-tung, Tang Ngok-kwan and Tsui Hon-kwong were found guilty and sentenced to four and a half months’ jail in March 2023. They now seek to challenge their convictions over refusing to comply with a data request from national security police.
Hong Kong student charged with loitering in store linked to 47 democrats case said he was ‘just playing around’: The student, who was only 14 when he was arrested last year, is among five people standing trial after pleading not guilty to a charge of “loitering causing concern.”
Hong Kong accountant jailed for 2 years and 9 months over 2019 Yuen Long mob attacks: The man was sentenced to two years and nine months in jail for rioting in a case relating to the Yuen Long attack in 2019. This marks the first sentence for someone not involved in the attack on train passengers and protesters that night.
Hong Kong teacher challenges dismissal over 2019 Facebook posts about police, says free speech should be protected: The secondary school teacher, who had been accused of negatively affecting students and tarnishing the government’s reputation, argued that her Facebook posts were not public and she did not have any students added as Facebook friends.
‘The old days are no more’: Hong Kong goes quiet as security laws tighten their grip: With the 2020 National Security Law and the recently promulgated Article 23, NGOs and bookshops are closing, media organizations are leaving, and democracy activists are on trial, with no end in sight.
China’s Reach & Internal Control 中国: 内控与外扩
What Ramadan is like in Xinjiang: Revised rules on religion in the region impose new controls on everything from religious teaching to mosque architecture, which is required to reflect a “Chinese style.” Primarily, the authorities claim to enforce the mandate that “no organisations or individual shall induce or coerce locals to believe or not believe in any religion.”
Authorities in Xinjiang Continue to Stifle Ramadan, Secularize Islam: Many of the daily fasting, prayer, and community service traditions were stifled by authorities, as was the case in previous years. Accounts from various parts of the region reveal the CCP’s increasingly successful efforts to secularize Islam while rendering Uyghur Muslims into caricatures for external propaganda.
Historic Tibetan Buddhist monastery is being moved to make way for dam: The dam’s construction, Tibetans say, is yet another example of Beijing’s disregard for their culture, religion and environment.
International Responses 国际反应
Fashion retailer faces boycott amid allegations of Uyghur forced labor in China: Chicago-based human rights organization Justice for All has called for a boycott of fast-fashion company Shein, alleging it is involved in the forced labor of Uyghur Muslims in China.