A human rights lawyer and online activist, Baolong was detained in September 2020 for allegedly "leaking secrets" to foreign countries and for his online commentary. He was formally charged with "picking quarrels and provoking trouble." Authorities targeted him for discussing the situation in Inner Mongolia in a WeChat group with friends abroad. He has opposed government efforts to eliminate Mongolian language education and has faced previous repression, including a travel ban imposed in 2010 on national security grounds. After 8 months of detention, Baolong was released in May 2021.