Zhou Yuanzhi

Zhou has published political commentaries and short stories in Hong Kong and for overseas Chinese-language publications. Initially detained in 2017, he was sentenced in June 2019 to four and… More

Writers at Risk Database

Alex Chow

Pro-democracy youth activist Chow was imprisoned in August 2017 on charges of unlawful assembly for his role in the Occupy Central protests in 2014. He was released on bail… More

Zhu Yufu

Zhu Yufu

Dissident poet Zhu served seven years in prison in connection with his poetry and was released in early 2018. Five months later, Zhu was briefly detained in September 2018… More

Wang Yi

In January 2020, preacher and poet Wang was sentenced to nine years in prison for inciting subversion of state power after being held incommunicado with his wife since March… More

Jin Andi

After assisting between 2000 and 2010 in the editing and publication of articles critical of Jiang Zemin, the former Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, Jin was sentenced to… 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

Lu Jianhua Wen Yu

After a 90 minute secret trial, Lu was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2006 for leaking state secrets. Lu is a prominent sociologist and research professor, and… 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