Student Sentenced to Six Years After Returning to China
Chinese national Cheng Fangwei (程方维), a former student at the University of Sydney, has been sentenced to six years’ imprisonment for splittism. After returning to China in late 2024, he lost contact with his familyand was later confirmed to have been detained and convicted.
Reports indicate that the case is linked to his participation in pro-democracy and minority rights advocacy activities while studying abroad. His family has not received a copy of the judgment.
Uyghur Poet Serving 20-Year Sentence
Uyghur poet and educator Qasim Sidiq is serving a 20-year prison sentence for “provoking ethnic hatred,” according to updated information. Earlier reports had not confirmed the length of his imprisonment. Detained in Xinjiang in 2017, his case has long been linked to his literary work and past writings, which authorities reportedly cited as evidence against him.
The updated information also provides a projected release date based on the 20-year sentence, indicating that he could remain imprisoned until approximately 2037. His case continues to raise serious concerns among rights groups regarding the targeting of Uyghur intellectuals and the use of broadly defined charges related to the risks associated with academic and cultural research among ethnic minorities.
Uyghur Academic Sentenced to 18-Year Sentence
Uyghur academic Aihemaiti Tuerxun (艾合买提*吐尔逊) is reported to have been sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment. He is currently held in a prison in Urumqi. This marks the first disclosure of both the length of his sentence and his place of incarceration, along with an estimated release year of around 2035—details that were not previously available and constitute a significant update on his case.
The specific criminal charge against Aihemaiti Tuerxun has not been clearly disclosed in available reports. A leading scholar in the field of ethnic minority languages and literature, he was detained in Xinjiang amid the broader crackdown on Uyghur individuals, and his case forms part of a wider pattern in which highly educated Uyghur professionals—particularly those working on ethnic language and cultural studies—have faced prosecution, often with limited transparency regarding legal proceedings.
Trial Begins for Pastor Huang Yizi
On April 24, 2026, the trial of house church pastor Huang Yizi (黄益梓) began at the Pingyang County People’s Court in Wenzhou, Zhejiang. He is charged with “illegal business operations,” reportedly linked to the distribution of audio Bible players containing his sermons.
Huang was detained in June 2025 and formally arrested the following month. His case is widely viewed in the context of ongoing restrictions on unregistered Christian churches in China, particularly the state’s use of economic-related charges to prosecute religious activities.
Journalist Dong Yuyu Transferred to Tianjin
Veteran Chinese journalist Dong Yuyu (董郁玉), who is serving a seven-year sentence on espionage charges, was transferred in March 2026 from a prison in Beijing to Tianjin Chaobai Prison. Dong, a former Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, was originally sentenced in November 2024, and his appeal was rejected in November 2025.
Rights groups have criticized his imprisonment and note that transfers of detainees can affect family access and detention conditions. Reports also indicate ongoing restrictions on Dong’s family’s visits and his access to legal counsel. Dong was hospitalized in April 2026 after experiencing heart palpitations and other health problems, and a CT scan revealed a tumor in his lung.