HRIC Weekly Brief
March 24, 2026
Top News 头条
In Macau, a new law passed last Thursday will not only allow national security cases to be heard behind closed doors, it will also require defense lawyers to pass a national security clearance in order to be allowed to represent a client, with no right to appeal the decision. This rule is likely to seriously inhibit defendants’ rights, particularly their ability to choose a lawyer.
Hong Kong has introduced new changes to the implementation of the National Security Law which will allow the police to require people under national security investigation to turn over their passwords or help decrypt their electronic devices, or else face a year in prison and a HK$100,000 fine. Even more strictly, providing a “false or misleading statement” might result in three years’ imprisonment and a HK$500,000 fine. The changes will also expand the authority of customs officers to “freeze or confiscate assets relating to national security crimes or to forfeit ‘articles that have seditious intention.’”
Meanwhile, earlier today, Hong Kong police raided independent bookseller Book Punch and arrested owner Pong Yat-ming and three staff members on suspicion of “knowingly selling a publication that has a seditious intention,” a crime under Hong Kong’s “Article 23” national security law. The materials seized reportedly included Mark Clifford’s biography of Jimmy Lai. From harassment to punishment, the Book Punch case is representative of authorities’ suppression of independent civil society spaces in recent years. Directly characterizing the sale of biographies as seditious signifies that freedom of publication and space for independent bookstores in Hong Kong have been further squeezed.
Law & Policy 法律与政策
China: Cybercrime Bill Entrenches Censorship, Surveillance: According to Human Rights Watch, “If enacted, the bill would bring together rules that govern China’s telecommunication, internet, and banking systems under a single framework, strengthening authorities’ ability to trace user activity across platforms. The bill also expands police and other authorities’ ability to suspend access to financial accounts and communication services and bar people from leaving the country in cybercrime-related cases without meaningful oversight or redress provisions. Notably, the draft law has problematic extraterritorial reach.”
NPC 2026: Chinese Legislature Revokes Landmark 1985 Delegation of Economic Lawmaking Power to the State Council: In addition to the now-obsolete Enterprise Law, the National People’s Congress (NPC) has discontinued the 1985 Decision on Authorizing the State Council to Formulate Interim Provisions or Regulations Concerning Reform of the Economic System and Opening Up, which allowed the State Council to make economic regulations. Given the State Council’s plans to modify consumption tax rates in 2026, it may now turn to the NPC Standing Committee (NPCSC) to make these changes.
China Elevates Environmental Law to an Official Branch of Law: Since the late 90s, Chinese law has been divided into seven major branches. Environmental law, which was previously divided between administrative and economic laws, has now been granted its own category as an official branch of law.
Cyber Security & Digital Rights 网络安全与数字权利
China’s ‘first Tibetan AI’ claim contested as Dharamshala’s Monlam AI predates DeepZang: Chinese state media claimed that “DeepZang” is the world’s first Tibetan-language artificial intelligence platform, a claim contested by Tibetans in diaspora, who pointed to Monlam AI as the actual first Tibetan AI. The claim is especially contentious in context of China’s new “Ethnic Unity” law, which seeks to prioritize linguistic assimilation over diversity.
Translation: Post on Historical Drama “Swords into Plowshares” Gets Hammered: The task of censorship is frequently placed on the shoulders of ordinary internet users, as authors must either censor their own comments sections or risk having their posts targeted for removal.
Translations: Growing Political Momentum for Raising Farmers’ Pensions: The unexpectedly low increase of farmers’ pensions during the “Two Sessions” last month prompted a sharp increase in online discussion of pensions and urban-rural inequality generally, which was met with a wave of censorship.
3 men are charged with conspiring to smuggle US artificial intelligence to China: The sale of Nvidia chips to China has been restricted since the Biden administration, a rule which continues to apply to its most high-power chips.
Related: Nvidia chief says tech firm restarting production of China-bound chips.
Diaspora Community & Transnational Repression 海外社群和跨国镇压
HRIC Hosts “Commemorating Tiananmen: Thirty-Six Years of Resistance in Canada” Panel Discussion at the University of Toronto: On March 9, HRIC hosted a panel discussion at the University of Toronto, featuring four panelists from three generations of activists: Fengsuo Zhou (Executive Director of HRIC), Cheuk Kwan (Co-Chair of Toronto Association for Democracy in China), Jan Wong (a Canadian author and journalist), and Ruohui Yang (Li Community). This panel was organized in collaboration with University of Toronto students and chaired by Dr. Lynette Ong.
Suspected Surveillance Incident at Tokyo Uyghur Symposium Raises Concerns Over Transnational Repression: A Chinese student caught taking photos of attendees at a Uyghur human rights symposium held at Japan’s House of Representatives Members’ Office Building in Tokyo admitted that he “had been asked by an acquaintance to attend the event and photograph participants in exchange for a payment of 6,000 yen. He also admitted to attending a similar Uyghur-related event at the same venue in September of the previous year, where he had engaged in comparable activities.”
China demands investigation after Nepal college burns hundreds of copies of Xi Jinping’s book: After videos posted online showed students at a college in Nepal burning copies of Xi Jinping’s book, the “Chinese embassy in Kathmandu sent a note to Nepal’s foreign ministry urging an investigation and prompt action against those involved.”
Human Rights Defenders & Civil Society 人权捍卫者与公民社会
Human Rights in China Statement Regarding the Mass Arrests of the “Fan’er Community” in Yuhuan, Zhejiang: Yuhuan police systematically persecuted dozens of “netizens” (online community members), primarily teenagers, through fabricated charges, torture, and transnational repression.
Tibetan monk tortured to death in custody: As part of a larger crackdown on Tibetan Buddhist institutions and religious figures, Tibet Watch has reported that a monk known as Samten was allegedly tortured to death before his body was returned to his monastery “under strict orders of silence.” Samten was originally detained in 2021 based on accusations of sharing pictures online concerning the exiled Tibetan government elections.
Tibetan monk released after six-month detention, faces serious health issues and ongoing surveillance: The health of 48-year-old Zega Gyatso has “significantly worsened” after half a year in detention, including vision issues allegedly caused by exposure to intense electric lighting. Even after release, he and his family continue to face surveillance and coercion to “not engage in any activities deemed contrary to the interests of the Chinese government.”
China arrests Tibetan father for refused to send his child to Chinese boarding school: A man’s refusal to send his child to a “colonial-style” school, which would force the child to assimilate into Chinese culture rather than Tibetan, has allegedly resulted in police forcibly sending the child to boarding school and arresting the father.
University tells students to put down books and ‘fall in love’ as birth rate falls: The official WeChat account for Sichuan Southwest Vocational College of Aviation urged students to “enjoy the flowers, fall in love” as students went on break, reflecting the pressure of Beijing’s push for domestic consumption and increased birthrates.
Tiananmen vigils ‘always promoted love, responsibility,’ Hong Kong activist tells subversion trial: Chow Hang-tung, former leader of Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, testified that the commemorations of June 4th were meant to unite participants, not stroke hatred of the CCP. Yet, she continues to stand trial for allegedly “inciting subversion,” facing up to 10 years in prison.
Hong Kong actor among 7 who lose appeals over 2019 storming of legislature: Three Court of Appeal judges determined that Gregory Wong intended to participate in the protest against a proposed extradition bill, because he dressed in black, entered the chamber, and communicated with other protestors.
China’s Reach & Internal Control 中国: 内控与外扩
Xi Jinping’s anticorruption drive sweeps up senior Chinese military chiefs: Reports indicate that approximately 100 senior PLA officers have been “purged or potentially purged” within the last four years, including high ranking commanders. Whether these removals are truly meant to fight anticorruption or are simply means of political control, these measures have caused deep disruptions throughout the Chinese military.
International Responses 国际反应
Trump Administration Quietly Eases Uyghur Forced Labor Enforcement: Since U.S. President Trump took office, no new companies have been added to the forced labor blacklist, and inspection rates fell from over 900 shipments per month to around 224.
Australia and New Zealand held a 2+2 ministerial meeting to express concerns about human rights issues, including Tibet: This meeting culminated in a joint statement criticizing the Chinese Communist Party’s rule in Tibet, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong, and a commitment to continue maintaining peace in the Indo-Pacific region.
Related: Joint Statement Australia–New Zealand Foreign and Defence Ministerial Consultations 2+2.
UK-Backed China’s Carbon Projects Raise Uyghur Forced Labor Concerns — Report: A period in which the UK funded alleged “emissions-reduction technology” projects in Xinjiang between 2026 and 2018 coincides with a period of increased repression in the Uyghur region, raising concerns that the UK may have betrayed its human rights commitments.
Kyrgyzstan Backs China on Uyghur Issue, Ambassador Rejects Abuse Claims: The Chinese Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan called allegations of forced labor “fake news” and “manipulation.” Countries such as Kyrgyzstan often back the CCP due to China’s financial, security, and political influence.
The U.S. House Select Committee on China expressed concern over the expansion of the CCP’s influence at the United Nations: The Committee specifically highlighted how China exerts control through both “financial donations” and the “placement of Chinese officials in key UN positions.”