Following his rise as a pro-democracy essayist and blogger in the early 2000s, Huang was arrested in 2003 and sentenced to 12 years in prison for writing “reactionary” articles online. He was released after eight years in prison in October 2011. Huang postponed news of his release until December 13, 2011, his original release date, after authorities issued threats against his family. He has been living with his parents in Linyi County, Shandong Province, and has expressed a continued commitment to pushing for social progress in China with compassion.