Jailed on trumped-up charge of “provoking trouble,” Shaanxi activist Wu Yuanxiu finds no recourse

Shaanxi rights activist Wu Yuanxiu was deceived by Beijing public security personnel into going to retrieve documents and was kidnapped and imprisoned for three years. After being released from prison in 2024, she filed a complaint with the Yulin Intermediate People’s Court, only to have her appeal rejected. Recently, she filed another appeal with the Shaanxi High Court, which was also rejected.

Wu Yuanxiu had been advocating for her rights in Beijing due to a long-standing contractual dispute case. On October 28, 2021, Beijing public security personnel falsely claimed that there was a written reply to one of her cases, requiring her to come in person to collect it. Shortly after leaving the public security bureau, she was abducted by six government officials in Yulin City and subsequently charged with “provoking trouble” and sentenced to three years in prison. She reported being subjected to forced confessions, torture, and spending over a month in the hospital during her imprisonment.

On November 4, 2021, prison guards subjected Wu Yuanxiu to forced confessions, breaking her left sternum and stepping on her head, resulting in significant hearing loss in her ears. They also forced her eyes open with their hands to prevent her from sleeping. The prison director and several others threatened her, saying, “The prison has a quota of more than two deaths per year. It’s normal for you to die here.”

She was kept with drug offenders, shackled, handcuffed, and suspended by both hands, leading to a deep hole in her right thumb that remains numb to this day.

After her release on October 18, 2024, Wu Yuanxiu took some time to recover physically before mustering the courage to speak out about the years of suppression and persecution she faced from Beijing public security.

On December 18, 2024, Wu Yuanxiu filed a complaint with the Yulin Intermediate People’s Court in Shaanxi Province, citing unjust imprisonment. The trial judge, Zuo Xiaoning, refused to allow audio or video recordings or provide a record of the proceedings, ultimately rejecting her appeal.

Wu Yuanxiu then turned to the Shaanxi High Court for redress, insisting on recording the entire process as evidence. She emphasized that according to the Constitution, judges must accept public oversight and serve as a basis for fair and just trials. However, the Shaanxi High Court once again rejected her appeal.

Wu Yuanxiu stated, “I advocated for my rights because the Yuyang District government officials in Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, unlawfully expropriated land without proper compensation for our family’s efforts in sand control, trees, and crops. Despite seeking resolutions through multiple levels of leadership, I had no choice but to defend my legitimate rights. My case does not involve state secrets, and I demand an open, fair, and just trial from the High Court.”

Wu Yuanxiu’s friend and fellow rights activist, Xiao Wang, commented, “Officials in the Yuyang District Public Security Bureau and Procuratorate in Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, are suspected of abusing their power, fabricating facts, and retaliating against Wu Yuanxiu. The rejection notice issued by the Shaanxi High Court is nothing more than a worthless piece of paper.”