HRIC Weekly Brief
February 18, 2026
Top News 头条
HRIC wishes a happy New Year to our readers and all those striving to protect and defend human rights in China!
This week, we welcomed the return of Radio Free Asia (RFA), which has officially resumed its broadcasting, marking the end of its hiatus since October of last year. The organization has long heralded itself as “providing some of the world’s only independent reporting” on China, Tibet, and Xinjiang, in local languages. RFA’s renewed reporting is positive news for journalism in a time when it is increasingly being criminalized and stifled.
Most notably, while international news agencies, states, and international bodies including the United Nations condemned the trial and sentencing of prominent pro-democracy advocate and newspaper owner Jimmy Lai as a “monumental injustice,” Hong Kong’s “once-vibrant” and largely independent press has either chosen to remain silent, or even applauded his 20-year sentence. Notably, none of Hong Kong’s five press associations published any statement regarding the harshest sentence yet under the national security law, despite Lai’s status as a prominent media voice. Hong Kong Journalists Association chair Selina Cheng only stated, “I’m not free to speak my mind on the Apple Daily sentencing.” Individuals seeking to discuss Jimmy Lai online have also been silenced. One WeChat user carefully self-censored by referring to Lai only as, “the old man,” Apple Daily as only, “that newspaper,” and Hong Kong as only, “that city.” Yet these messages were eventually deleted from the app.
Nonetheless, those in the diaspora continued to express support for Lai and freedom of the press. HRIC executive director, Zhou Fengsuo, recently attended a documentary screening focused on transnational repression while standing in solidarity with Lai. HRIC continues its call for Lai’s unconditional release, and urges Hong Kong to immediately cease its repressive targeting of journalists, activists, and all those critical of the current government.
Law & Policy 法律与政策
China’s Draft Cybercrime Law: The new draft law will strengthen China’s real-name registration rules by cracking down on methods used to circumvent them, including VPNs, and extends jurisdiction to cover Chinese citizens located anywhere in the world, as well as “misconduct initiated outside a nation’s borders that has a substantial impact within the country.”
NPCSC Session Watch: Social Assistance, Fire and Rescue Personnel, CPAs & NPC Preparations: The NPC Standing Committee (NPCSC) will meet a second time this month, from February 25 to 26, to prepare an agenda for the 2026 NPC plenary session beginning March 5 and review three proposed laws.
Cyber Security & Digital Rights 网络安全与数字权利
HRIC on Twitter/X: Apple’s China app store has removed the encrypted messaging app Mosavi, escalating Beijing’s digital “stability maintenance” system and demonstrating how the CCP seeks to extend its surveillance into every corner of every citizen’s life.
China cracks down on anti-marriage social media content during Lunar New Year holiday: The Cyberspace Administration of China announced a month-long crackdown on online content that may incite “negative emotions,” including “inciting gender antagonism and exaggerating ‘fear of marriage’ and ‘anxiety about childbirth’.”
Censured in Life, Censored in Death: Deleted Sixth Anniversary Tributes to COVID Whistleblower Dr. Li Wenliang: Last week, Chinese netizens left comments under Dr. LI Wenliang’s last Weibo post to mark the 6th anniversary of his death. China Digital Times shares several commemorative articles published on the Chinese internet and censored shortly thereafter.
Hong Kong police may add facial recognition to CCTV cameras this year as part of HK$4 billion expansion plan: Hong Kong’s commissioner of police said that the authorities plan to add facial recognition capabilities to police-managed CCTV cameras “within the year.”
Diaspora Community & Transnational Repression 海外社群和跨国镇压
Hong Kong diaspora groups raise concerns over RCMP-China Ministry of Public Security MoU: Ten Hong Kong diaspora groups issued a letter expressing their serious concerns regarding a Memorandum of Understanding on law enforcement cooperation that was recently signed between the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and China’s Ministry of Public Security.
Australia charges 2 Chinese nationals with foreign interference: The pair stand accused of working with a Chinese individual to gather information on the Guan Yin Citta Buddhist group in Canberra.
‘Wake-up call’ for Greece as air force officer accused of spying for China: Greek air force officer Christos Flessas has reportedly admitted to photographing and sharing confidential NATO documents with Chinese intelligence.
Human Rights Defenders & Civil Society 人权捍卫者与公民社会
HRIC on Twitter/X: On February 13, 2026, the Gongshu District Court in Hangzhou delivered heavy prison sentences to two citizens for the private, peaceful act of memorializing Liu Xiaobo. Their sentencing for a “quiet act of remembrance” highlights the ongoing suppression of conscience and the erosion of the rule of law.
HRIC on Twitter/X: In a prayer letter, the Hefei Ganquan Church announced the sentencing of two church members last week for “fraud” over preaching and accepting offerings as part of normal church activities. The pair were originally arrested in 2023. Pastor Zhou Songlin was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months imprisonment, with a fine of 30,000 yuan, and Elder Ding Zhongfu was sentenced to 4 years imprisonment, with a fine of 28,000 yuan.
Tibetan Environmental Defender A-Nya Sengdra suffers vision loss, kidney disease after release from prison: Sengdra is reportedly suffering health complications related to his prolonged detention including vision loss, kidney disease, and high blood pressure, and he and his family remain under strict restrictions and surveillance.
University expels student who called for accountability over Hong Kong fire: The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has expelled student Miles Kwan mere weeks before his planned graduation, stating that he had received three demerits. Kwan explained that the demerits were related to commemorating the Tiananmen Massacre in 2022 and calling the city’s investigation committee, tasked with investigating the Wang Fuk Court fire, a “kangaroo panel” and a “disgrace.”
Related: Police decline to disclose number of sedition arrests over comments about fatal Tai Po blaze.
Hong Kong may roll out renewal-based certification regime for teachers in 2027, with nat. security stipulations: Teachers at publicly funded and international schools would need to meet a certain number of training hours and declare they will obey Hong Kong law, including national security laws, every three years to renew the certification.
Freed Tibetan monk remains under strict surveillance after early release: Trinley Gyatso was released several months prior to the end of his 5-year prison sentence for allegedly distributing materials containing the teachings of the Dalai Lama, but is now under house arrest and subject to surveillance.
China’s Reach & Internal Control 中国: 内控与外扩
China expands Tibetan-language state broadcasting as RSF warns of deepening information void in Tibet: Reporters Without Borders stated that in the last year, China’s state-owned broadcaster, China National Radio (CNR), dramatically increased its number of Tibetan-language programs from 1 to 17, likely aimed at increasing CCP control over news in the region.
‘A free limo is hard to turn away’: how car diplomacy turbo charges politics in the Pacific: In recent years, China has stepped up its gift-giving diplomacy in the Pacific, trading expensive cars for political support.
International Responses 国际反应
Estonian parliament adopts motion condemning China’s coercive assimilation boarding school system in Tibet: On February 11, the Estonian parliament passed a motion calling for “the immediate abolition of the boarding school system and the practice of family separation for children in Tibet.”
In its explanatory statement regarding the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2026, the U.S. Congressional Appropriations Committee referred to the Central Tibetan Administration as the “Tibetan Government-in-Exile” for the first time.: The Central Tibetan Administration applauded the statement.
CIA publishes recruitment video aimed at disaffected Chinese soldiers: After Xi Jinping’s recent military purge, the United States’ CIA released a video in Mandarin which seemingly encourages Chinese soldiers to contact the agency. This marks the fifth video of this type, which CIA director, John Ratcliffe, has said, “reached many Chinese citizens, despite the fact that YouTube is blocked in China.”
Current Events 热点新闻
In China, consumerism trumps nationalism despite tensions with the U.S. and Japan: While Beijing often utilizes propaganda tactics and even direct targeting against foreign companies who disagree with its political stances, “pure nationalism” is not swaying the average consumer’s purchasing decisions. As opposed to previous years’ trends, Chinese individuals appear to be shopping based more on economic anxiety than concern about a product’s country of origin.