Li Qiaochu: Two-Year Period of Deprivation of Political Rights Ends
From August 3, 2024, to August 2, 2026, was the period during which I was deprived of my political rights. As of today—August 3—this additional punishment has been fully served. This means that, as a citizen, I once again fully enjoy all the rights granted to me by law; it also means that if the various restrictions previously imposed on me continue in the future, they will have no legal basis.
Two years ago at this moment, just after midnight, I was informed that I would be released from the detention center. Standing at the gate, I was suddenly so moved that I wanted to cry—
I knew that from the moment I walked out, I was no longer the girl I had been, with only a faint spark—I had become someone carrying a torch. I had accumulated a great deal of light from the flames, enough to illuminate a stretch of night for more women in difficult circumstances.
To our victory, achieved by fighting to the death and then surviving against all odds.
Sharing the hand-drawn illustrations celebrating this day with everyone who continues to live without being deformed by suffering~
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China Rights Defense Network: Monthly Report on Political Prisoners and Prisoners of Conscience in Mainland China (August 31, 2026), Issue 131 (1,638 people in total)
The Rights Defense Network Information Center released its 131st monthly report on August 31, 2026, stating that 40 people on the previous roster had completed their sentences and been released, 30 had new developments while in prison, six had been newly criminally detained or forcibly disappeared, 28 had been newly sentenced, and one had died in prison; the report lists a total of 1,638 political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in custody.
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Li Qiaochu: Update on Xu Zhiyong’s Situation in Prison (August 29, 2026)
The writer received a letter from Xu Zhiyong dated August 21, 2026, saying his outdoor time had improved to 10 a.m. daily for 30 minutes. Correspondence had also become smoother than during the previous two months. The writer considers the matter closed for now but plans to continue asking about Xu’s basic living conditions. Xu reportedly liked hand-drawn pictures sent with a letter in late July.
Aug 29, 2026
Chow Hang-tung: Statement of Plea
The author rejects a 206-page judgment that, they argue, treats belief in ending one-party dictatorship as unconstitutional and criminal. They say law cannot control thoughts, condemn obedience to authoritarian power, and describe ending one-party dictatorship as a responsibility of Hong Kong and Chinese people. The author refuses to apologize for these beliefs, accepts possible imprisonment, and vows to continue pursuing democracy, accountability for the 1989 massacre and a democratic Hong Kong and China.



