HRIC Weekly Brief
August 12, 2025
Top News 头条
Yesterday, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) Mary Lawlor issued a press release calling on China to respect the rights of its detainees, specifically imprisoned Chinese human rights defenders Ding Jiaxi, Huang Qi, Huang Yunmin, Ilham Tohti, Qin Yongmin, Zhang Haitao and Zhao Haitong, as well as the still-missing Gao Zhisheng. The UN expert called on the Government of China to ensure that detainees are not subject to torture and ill-treatment, that they are granted family and counsel visits and adequate medical attention, and that they are held in officially recognized places of detention, with information on their fate and whereabouts being provided to any person with a legitimate interest. We at Human Rights in China also emphasize that beyond the illegal deprivation of prisoners’ rights, the targeting and imprisonment of HRDs is in itself an egregious violation of human rights. These individuals have been illegally and arbitrarily detained for their work defending human rights and must be released immediately.
Law & Policy 法律与政策
China’s New Judicial Interpretation II on Labor Disputes: Key Themes at a Glance: The author argues that the new interpretation reflects the Supreme People’s Court’s ongoing effort to unify judicial standards and provide clearer guidance for handling labor disputes in an increasingly complex employment environment.
Data as Intellectual Property in China: Legal Developments and Regional Pilots: China is reframing data as a new type of intellectual property asset, and establishing a state-led framework to enable its registration, licensing, and commercialization through formal exchanges.
The CCP’s Legal Warfare Against Taiwan’s Democracy: This opinion piece from a Taiwanese judge describes China’s efforts to weaken Taiwan’s resilience through “lawfare.”
Cyber Security & Digital Rights 网络安全与数字权利
China Turns to A.I. in Information Warfare: According to leaked internal documents, the Chinese technology company GoLaxy has created a new AI-based tool called the “Smart Propaganda System,” or “GoPro,” that tracks the opinions of groups and individuals to create individualized propaganda. GoLaxy has used this tool to carry out influence campaigns in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China, including tracking people in Hong Kong to counter opposition to the 2020 National Security Law.
China Refocuses Its Science and Technology Ecosystem on Innovation and Security: A new report analyzes China’s efforts to overhaul its science and technology ecosystem, particularly by accelerating the centralization of CCP control.
_China_Chatbot_26: While attempting to “jailbreak” DeepSeek (typically, jailbreaking involves deliberately asking a set of “unsafe” questions phrased in multiple ways to check if it will generate a “harmful” response), the author found that DeepSeek will sometimes switch back and forth between parroting the party line and providing a nuanced answer to politically sensitive questions, possibly influenced by which third-party provider is used.
Diaspora Community & Transnational Repression 海外社群和跨国镇压
HRIC on Twitter/X: On August 8-9, China Action and the Citizens' Resistance Association jointly released the “Declaration of the People's Resistance Movement” in over ten cities globally, including New York, London, Los Angeles, Berlin, Tokyo, Sydney, and San Francisco, urging global Chinese communities and supporters of democracy and freedom to join forces in opposing the authoritarian rule of the Chinese Communist Party.
Thai Art Center Censors Exhibition After “Pressure” From China: In an email sent to artists, the Bangkok Art and Culture Center staff said that works by artists from Hong Kong, Tibet, and the Uyghur diaspora were altered, including with text black outs, due to a risk of “creating diplomatic tensions between Thailand and China.”
‘I don’t expect to live a normal life’: how a Leeds teenager woke up with a Chinese bounty on her head: Chloe Cheung, who was only fourteen when she witnessed police violence at protests in Hong Kong, told the Guardian: “It’s a form of psychological warfare–telling the world that dissent has no safe haven. Even if you were just a teenager when you spoke out, you’re not safe.”
Far-right German lawmaker’s ex-aide on trial for spying for China: Jian Guo, a former aide to far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) lawmaker Maximilian Krah, had posed as an opponent of the Chinese government on social media in order to gain contacts in the opposition scene and integrate himself into the German dissident community.
Stay or go? Under Trump, dreams fade for Chinese who trekked to US: An interview with a recent immigrant shows the complex struggles of the zou xian ke, or “those who walked the line,” who represent a new wave of migration driven by authoritarian tightening in China and the belief that the United States still offers greater freedom and a better life.
Human Rights Defenders & Civil Society 人权捍卫者与公民社会
Banker Bao Fan reportedly released from Chinese detention after two years: Bao is one of several high-profile Chinese executives who went missing in recent years amid sweeping anti-corruption drives pushed by Xi.
How a teenage bullying incident spiralled into city-wide protests in China: Following last week’s protests, several individuals have been detained for sharing information and others have been warned away from speaking to the press, as the authorities attempt to enforce censorship of the topic.
Being a Journalist in China - Gateway to Global China Podcast: This interview with two long-time Chinese journalists highlights the ways in which journalists have managed and pushed back against censorship over the last two decades, even as the situation for journalism overall has declined.
Hong Kong: RSF urges global action as Jimmy Lai's health continues to deteriorate ahead of trial resumption: On 14 August 2025, the court will begin hearing closing arguments in Jimmy Lai’s national security trial. Originally scheduled to last 80 days (in court), Lai’s trial has dragged on for over 140 days since it began in December 2023.
Nat. security trial for Tiananmen vigil group to begin in November: May 6 had been set as the start date for the trial of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, but it has now been delayed to November.
Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong’s second nat. security case to be transferred to High Court: Wong may face life imprisonment if he is convicted of conspiring to request foreign countries or individuals to engage in hostile activities against Hong Kong or China.
Father of activist wanted under nat. sec law pleads not guilty to attempting to handle daughter’s insurance funds: Kwok Yin-sang, father of Anna Kwok, is the first relative of a wanted activist to be charged with a national security offence.
HKFP Monitor August 9, 2025: Ex-protester drops case against ban on overseas study; HK$233-million by-elections largely uncontested: To Kai-wa has dropped his legal challenge against a travel ban that stopped him from studying abroad, highlighting the Hong Kong authorities growing reluctance to allow overseas travel for former prisoners and individuals on bail.
Hong Kong man’s incitement to subversion case under nat. security law transferred to District Court: Chan Ho-hin was originally charged with the lesser offence of publishing articles with seditious intent under Article 23, but prosecutors later upgraded his charge to the more serious offence of subversion under the Beijing-imposed National Security Law.
Hong Kong media regulator loses final appeal bid against satirical RTHK show that ‘insulted’ police: The Radio Television Hong Kong show had jokingly suggested that police officers had more protective gear than healthcare staff during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Screening of Taiwanese film ‘Family Matters’ axed from festival after failing to meet gov’t censorship requirements: Hong Kong’s Office for Film, Newspaper and Article Administration (OFNAA) requires films that do not pass vetting to make changes, such as editing out certain scenes. OFNAA did not say what censorship changes would have been required for the film to be shown.
Man found guilty of desecrating Chinese, Hong Kong flags seeks to overturn conviction at city’s apex court: Wong Chun-lok, who was only 19 at the time of the so-called offense, is autistic. His legal representative argued that the trial magistrate had not properly considered Wong’s “special conditions” and how they might have affected his intent.
Related: Hong Kong gov’t to look into inaccurate flag design used at rope-skipping competition in Japan. After the song “Glory to Hong Kong” was played instead of the Chinese national anthem at several international sporting events, the Hong Kong government has mandated that teams traveling abroad carry a USB with official versions of the flag and anthem. At this event, the design of the city’s flag displayed on the winner’s podium was allegedly inaccurate, featuring too-small stars and not enough space between petals.
China’s Reach & Internal Control 中国: 内控与外扩
HRIC on Twitter/X: After graffiti slogans appeared on utility poles across Beijing streets after June Fourth this year with messages such as “Tanks cannot crush the truth, freedom will ultimately triumph over tyranny,” Beijing authorities launched a massive recruitment drive for guards to monitor bridges and utility poles.
Alarm in China that efforts to control Chikungunya virus are infringing on rights: There has been growing alarm in China that official efforts to control the spread of Chikungunya virus are infringing on people’s personal rights, bringing back memories of the “Zero-COVID” policy era.
International Responses 国际反应
Penny Wong complained to China about intimidation of exiled Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners: Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, complained about the targeted intimidation of exiled pro-democracy campaigners from Hong Kong directly to her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, during a bilateral meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
Ministers ask China to explain redacted designs for London ‘super-embassy’: The British government must deliver a verdict on China’s proposed super-embassy by 9 September, which would become the biggest embassy in Europe if approved. Housing Secretary Angela Rayner asked the Chinese Embassy to provide additional un-redacted details within two weeks.