An Open Letter Seeking the Support of the International Community, Human Rights Organisations, and Chinese Diaspora Groups Regarding the Hunger Strike of Xu Zhiyong

Dear Sir/Madam,

As of 12 November 2024, Xu Zhiyong, a leading figure in China’s civil rights movement, has been on hunger strike for 40 days. The confirmed details of his case are as follows:

Xu’s sole demand is to resume communication rights with his fiancée, Li Qiaochu, and this right has been repeatedly denied by the authorities at Lunan Prison, where Xu is serving a 14-year sentence.
Chinese officials have obstructed Xu’s access to his lawyer, effectively severing any means of conveying his physical condition or communicating his autonomous wishes regarding his hunger strike.
Although Xu recently managed to meet with family members, they were subjected to intimidation, coercion, and severe warnings by prison officials and relevant authorities to prevent attention being drawn to Xu’s protest.

On 23 October, it was revealed that Xu Zhiyong began his hunger strike on 4 October to protest Lunan Prison’s illegal denial of his right to correspond with Li Qiaochu. He had been permitted to communicate with her since August. Learning of Li’s struggles with depression has weighed heavily on Xu’s mind; additionally, since Xu’s detention in 2020, Li has campaigned tirelessly for his freedom and, as a result, was unjustly sentenced to three years and eight months in prison. Li’s sacrifice and dedication are deeply moving to Xu, and corresponding with her is the only channel for him to maintain contact with her. However, since September, their communication has been obstructed, with Xu’s repeated attempts to restore it being blocked by the prison’s arbitrary censorship. When a prison officer recently tore up Li Qiaochu’s letter to him before his eyes, this act of deliberate humiliation and degradation drove Xu to escalate his protest to a hunger strike — a decision not made lightly but compelled by his firm desire to reclaim his dignity and the fundamental rights denied to him.

As a matter of fact, reports emerged as early as July this year detailing Lunan Prison’s illegal restrictions on Xu’s basic human rights, including psychological abuse such as placing him under constant surveillance by assigned monitors known as “bao jia”, which severely restrict his movements and isolate him. Over the past few months, Lunan Prison has intensified these oppressive measures. Despite grueling conditions, Xu has persisted in his resistance, though the extent of his struggle has remained hidden from public knowledge.

Now, 40 days into his hunger strike, Xu’s health has undoubtedly reached a critical juncture. There are urgent questions regarding his physical condition: whether he has been subjected to forced feeding or other inhumane treatment, and if Lunan Prison has punished, coerced, or continued to abuse him. Such vital information concerning Xu Zhiyong’s safety and well-being remains hidden behind Lunan’s prison walls due to deplorable and unlawful obstructions.

In defense of his fundamental rights, Xu Zhiyong has exhausted every lawful means of protest available to him within the prison system. External support has been continuous, with statements of concern issued by various governments, human rights organisations, and civil society groups. The Chinese government has thus far remained silent in the face of these criticisms and demands for accountability. Meanwhile, Lunan Prison—effectively acting as an instrument of repression—has denied the hunger strike, misled the public, pressured Xu’s family, and is intent on forcing this situation to fade into obscurity. At the same time, they continue to disregard their own legal violations, ignoring Xu Zhiyong’s rights and any possibility of improving his conditions of detention.

For this reason, Xu’s hunger strike urgently requires the attention of democratic governments, heads of state, international human rights organisations, and all who advocate for justice and human dignity.

Based on available information, Xu’s physical and mental state is now in a life-threatening condition. Through this open letter, we urgently call upon the international community, human rights organisations, and Chinese diaspora groups to stay attentive to his case and to continue pressuring the Chinese government and Lunan Prison through vocal support and effective, timely actions. Our specific appeals are as follows:

Ensure that Xu Zhiyong receives appropriate medical care at Lunan Prison to prevent further deterioration of his health due to the hunger strike;
Ensure that Xu is not subjected to torture or inhumane treatment, and that his detention conditions meet both Chinese law and international human rights standards;
Respect and protect Xu Zhiyong’s right to communicate with his fiancée, Li Qiaochu, and prohibit any deliberate restrictions or acts of degradation by prison officials infringing on this right;
Uphold Xu Zhiyong’s right to meet with his lawyer so he may directly communicate his condition and intentions;
Urge democratic governments and human rights bodies to take effective measures, whether through issuing public statements or encouraging diplomatic representatives in China to visit Xu Zhiyong directly to verify his health and safety.

Finally, we express our heartfelt gratitude to the international community for its enduring support and assistance to Chinese human rights defenders. Xu Zhiyong, who holds a PhD in law from Peking University, has dedicated his professional talent, energy, and leadership to advancing human rights and democratic values in China. In 2013, he was arrested for his vigorous activism and sentenced to four years in prison. Upon release, he continued to uphold his ideals and beliefs. At the end of 2019, Xu was forced into hiding in his own country after organizing a civil gathering for political reform. During this period, Xu issued an open letter urging the Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping to step down. In February 2020, Chinese authorities detained him. Despite the torture and mistreatment, he endured in custody, Xu has never compromised his principles. In 2023, he was handed a new 14-year sentence.

Xu Zhiyong has made immense sacrifices in his fight for a better China, demonstrating tremendous courage in the face of a long prison term and relentless abuse. Humanity’s struggle for justice and freedom is unceasing, and we believe that your attention and support for Xu Zhiyong will not only stand as a defence of what is just, but also inspire change that transcends borders, religions, and political ideologies.

Xiamen Gathering Case Support Group

12 November 2024