Hu Shigen

A freelance writer, Hu was detained arbitrarily in July 2015; police did not answer his family’s enquiries as to his whereabouts. He was formally arrested in January 2016 on… More

Li Bifeng

In 2012, Li was convicted of contract fraud, though it is likely that he was targeted in retaliation for his peaceful activism and links with exiled writers. On April… More

Li Tie

Li was sentenced to ten years in prison in 2012 for ‘subversion of state power’ after writing critical online essays and pro-democracy leaning works. He did not have a… More

Liu Xianbin

For writing articles calling for political reform, Liu was searched and arrested in June 2010 and sentenced to ten years in prison where he was reportedly forced to labor… More

Lü Gengsong

In 2016, Lü was sentenced to 11 years in prison on national security grounds for publishing critical articles overseas and meeting with other activists. His daughter reports that his… More

Qin Yongmin

Qin Yongmin is a writer, activist, and the co-founder of the Democratic Party of China. On May 6, 2015, he was arrested for inciting subversion of state power. In… More

Writers at Risk Database

Yang Maodong Guo Feixiong

Yang served six years in prison over protests against corruption and censorship in 2013, and was assaulted and denied proper medical care in prison. He was finally released conditionally… More

Chen Shuqing

Chen, a pro-democracy activist and writer, was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison in 2016 after being found guilty of “inciting to subvert state power.” Since… More

Chen Wei

Chen was detained in 2011 for essays in which he supported a civil society and criticized the Chinese political system. In February 2020, Chen was released upon completion of… More

Yorm Bopha

Lands rights activist Yorm Bopha was re-convicted in 2016 to three years in prison for an alleged attack on two taxi drivers in 2012, despite a lack of evidence… More