Even if my head is chopped off, I will not turn back — Commemorating the 14th anniversary of the “suicide” of renowned pro-democracy activist and labor movement leader Li Wangyang

(Rights Defense Network Information Center report) On June 7, 2026, this website learned that June 6, 2026, marked the 14th anniversary of the “suicide” of the renowned pro-democracy activist and labor movement leader Li Wangyang. Li Wangyang was a fearless fighter and a martyr who never surrendered. His oath, “Even if they cut off my head, I will never turn back,” became a soul-stirring final anthem of life and death.

Fourteen years ago, on June 6, Mr. Li Wangyang’s extraordinarily bizarre “suicide” triggered widespread attention and condemnation both inside and outside China. Fourteen years ago, this website issued a solemn statement on the incident. (Attached below.)

During the 1989 Democracy Movement, Li Wangyang founded the Shaoyang Workers’ Autonomous Federation, organized strikes and demonstrations, and held commemorative events for those killed on June 4. He was subsequently imprisoned twice, for a total of 22 years. As a result of torture, he lost his hearing in both ears and was nearly blind. This website appends his biography and its statement below, solely to commemorate Mr. Li Wangyang.

Attachment: Biography of Li Wangyang

Li Wangyang: Born on November 12, 1950, he was from Huashi New Village, Daxiang District, Shaoyang City, Hunan Province. He was formerly an employee of the affiliated processing plant of the Shaoyang Ceramic Factory, Shaoyang Glass Factory, and Shaoyang Cement Factory in Hunan Province; a firsthand participant in the June 4th events; the recipient of the 2012 “Spirit of Freedom Award” from the National Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars in the United States; a pro-democracy fighter, human rights defender, and Chinese political prisoner.

Beginning in 1983, he was subjected to long-term persecution and suppression by the authorities because of his persistent pursuit of freedom and democracy. In 1983, influenced by the Democracy Wall at Xidan and resonating with democratic ideals, he and friends jointly founded the Shaoyang Workers’ Mutual Aid Association and established the Zijiang Civilian Newspaper, for which he was detained and imprisoned by the Shaoyang police. In 1989, because he supported the 1989 student movement, served as chairman of the Shaoyang “Workers’ Autonomous Federation,” and organized commemorative events for those killed on June 4 and protests against the June 4 massacre, he was arrested by the Shaoyang police on June 9, 1989. He was subsequently sentenced to 13 years in prison by the Shaoyang Intermediate Court for “counterrevolutionary propaganda and incitement,” with his sentence due to end on June 8, 2002. He was successively sent to Longxi Prison and Yuanjiang Prison in Shaoyang City, Hunan Province, and was ultimately sent to a reform-through-labor farm in Yueyang City for labor reform. After serving a lengthy prison term, he developed serious illnesses in prison and ultimately had his sentence reduced by two years; he was released early on June 8, 2000. On May 6, 2001, he was again arrested and criminally detained by the Shaoyang police on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power” because he had accepted an interview with an overseas radio station and RMB 8,000 in living assistance from “Human Rights in China.” On June 7, 2001, the Shaoyang Procuratorate formally approved his arrest. On September 11, 2001, he was sentenced by the Shaoyang Intermediate Court to 10 years in prison for “inciting subversion of state power” and deprived of political rights for four years. He subsequently served his sentence at Yuanjiang Prison in Hunan Province. He was subjected to repeated torture in prison, resulting in blindness, deafness in both ears, and near-total paralysis, leaving him completely unable to care for himself. Because he went on hunger strike to protest the torture, prison guards once pried out several of his teeth and force-fed him. His younger sister, Li Wangling, was also implicated and was sentenced by the Hunan authorities to three years of reeducation through labor for accepting interviews with overseas media.

On May 5, 2011, he was released after completing his sentence, but as his condition deteriorated and he became completely deaf in both ears, he was sent to a hospital in Daxiang District, Shaoyang City, for treatment. On May 22 of the same year, he was interviewed by Hong Kong’s Cable News, during which he stated that, in order for China to enter a democratic society and achieve a multiparty system as soon as possible, “Even if they cut off my head, I will never turn back.” After the interview was broadcast on June 2 of that year, it immediately attracted heated discussion and attention overseas, but also aroused extreme hatred and resentment from the Chinese Communist authorities. On June 6, 2012, he died mysteriously at the Daxiang District Hospital. Although the medical authorities said he had committed suicide, when his younger sister arrived at the scene, she found his body lying by the window. Although a white rope was tied around his neck and the white rope was tied to the window, both his feet were touching the floor and one hand was resting on the window. The belongings in the room were still there, and no suicide note was found. His body was then immediately seized by the police, who also refused requests from relatives and friends to take photographs.

Attachment: “Rights Defense Network” Statement on the Hunan Authorities’ Massive Suppression of Rights Defenders and Cover-Up of the Truth about Li Wangyang’s Death

Mr. Li Wangyang, a victim of June 4 in Shaoyang, Hunan, was bizarrely “hanged” at Shaoyang Daxiang Hospital on June 6, 2012. The Shaoyang police immediately announced that he had committed “suicide,” triggering widespread questioning and protest from all sectors of society. A number of rights defenders in Hunan were kidnapped, illegally detained, detained, forcibly sent on trips, or disappeared by local Hunan authorities because they expressed concern about Li Wangyang’s death. Hunan pro-democracy and rights defenders Zhang Shanguang and Li Jianjun of Huaihua, and Zhou Zhirong of Xiangtan, had been taken away by police for 40 days, while Shaoyang rights defenders Zhu Chengzhi and Huang Lihong remained unreleased after being taken away and detained by police. The “Rights Defense Network” strongly condemns and solemnly protests the Hunan authorities’ large-scale suppression and imprisonment of rights defenders!

On the morning of June 6, Li Wangyang, who was receiving treatment at Shaoyang Daxiang Hospital, whose condition had already improved, and who had asked his younger sister the previous evening to help him buy a radio to aid the recovery of his hearing, was found bizarrely “hanged” from the window of his hospital room. That day, more than a dozen rights defenders, including Shaoyang’s Zhu Chengzhi and Huang Lihong and Huaihua’s Li Jianjun, rushed to the hospital after hearing the news to learn what had happened and to prepare to bid a final farewell to Li Wangyang, but that very evening they were escorted home by police and placed under house arrest. On the very day of Li Wangyang’s bizarre death, rights defenders and dissidents throughout Hunan outside Shaoyang City were placed under comprehensive surveillance and house arrest. For example, Luo Qian in Xinning, Xiao Yong in Wugang, and Zhou Zhirong in Xiangtan were placed under house arrest by local police at their homes immediately after Li Wangyang’s death occurred on the morning of the 6th. Even more strangely, Zhang Shanguang of Huaihua had already been taken under control at the Xupu County government guesthouse five days earlier.

Following the bizarre death of Li Wangyang, Shaoyang police not only quickly forcibly removed the body, but also announced that it was a “suicide” that same morning. This caused shock, questions and anger across society! As various疑点 continued to be exposed and protests from the public continued to emerge, the authorities in Shaoyang, Hunan, agreed to conduct an autopsy, but then cut off Li Wangyang’s younger sister and brother-in-law, his only relatives, from contact with the outside world. On the 8th, without the presence of rights lawyer Tang Jingle, whom Li Wangyang’s younger sister had personally entrusted, or trusted forensic experts, the Shaoyang authorities unilaterally and secretly organized an autopsy, and then hastily cremated Li Wangyang’s remains on the morning of the 9th.

On June 9, Huaihua’s Zhang Shanguang and Li Jianjun, and Xiangtan’s Zhou Zhirong, were taken away by police under the pretext of going on a “tour.” However, apart from Li Jianjun, who was allowed to contact his wife occasionally because his mother was elderly and in poor health, Zhang Shanguang and Zhou Zhirong were completely cut off from all contact with the outside world. For more than 40 days, their families had no idea where they were or what condition they were in. The internet connection at Mr. Zhang Shanguang’s home was also cut off on June 12. Mrs. Zhang repeatedly negotiated with the state security authorities in Xupu and the telecommunications department, but both sides passed the buck and never restored the connection. When Mrs. Zhang repeatedly asked state security officials about Zhang Shanguang’s whereabouts, they only said that he was within the county and that they were acting on orders, and that they did not know when Mr. Zhang Shanguang would be released. By firmly deciding to go on hunger strike, Li Jianjun secured his release on July 13 to attend his mother’s birthday gathering, but on the 16th he was taken away again by Huaihua state security officials, and his whereabouts have been unknown since. During this period, Xin’ning rights activist Luo Qian was taken by police to Xing’an, Guangxi, and placed under house arrest for several days; a few days after being released, she was again placed under control. Wugang rights activist Xiao Yong, who was under police surveillance, was also taken away at one point on an outward “tour.” It is reported that Luo Qian, Xiao Yong and other rights activists were all strictly prohibited by police from expressing opinions on the Li Wangyang incident.

On July 9, Mr. Zhu Chengzhi of Shaoyang was taken away by police for refusing to sign a pledge not to pay attention to Li Wangyang’s death. The next day, his family received a notice from police stating that Zhu Chengzhi had been administratively detained for 10 days for “disturbing public order.” After Zhu Chengzhi’s detention period expired, he was not only not released, but was also placed in the Shaoyang City Detention Center by police on the grounds that “further investigation was needed”; 40 days have now passed and he has still not been released. Shaoyang’s Longhui rights activist and teacher Huang Lihong was escorted from Shaoyang back home on the morning of June 7 and kept under house arrest until the evening of the 11th. Police suddenly smashed open the door of her home and forcibly took her away for detention; she has still not been released. As for Li Wangyang’s younger sister Li Wangling and brother-in-law Zhao Baozhu, they have been out of contact with the outside world for more than 40 days since June 7, and there has been no news of them. Although the authorities released a signature purportedly showing that Li Wangling agreed to Li Wangyang’s cremation, comparison with the signature on the authorization for her lawyer reveals numerous obvious疑点 in the handwriting. Several other Shaoyang rights activists and friends of Li Wangyang during his lifetime, including Yin Zheng’an and Lei Deming, have also been taken under police control and cut off from contact with the outside world.

It has been more than 40 days since Li Wangyang’s mysterious death, and on July 12 the Hunan authorities also presented internally the autopsy report determining that Li Wangyang had committed “suicide,” while demanding that some rights defenders make statements on the matter. However, the Hunan authorities continue to imprison rights defenders in various parts of Hunan, arrest rights defenders attempting to enter Hunan, such as Zhang Lin from Anhui, and beat and expel from the territory people from Hong Kong who went to Shaoyang because of their concern over Li Wangyang. At the same time, people in various parts of the country who have shown concern over Li Wangyang’s death have also been warned and summoned by local police.

The Hunan authorities have detained, kidnapped、 and placed rights defenders under house arrest on such a massive scale, preventing rights defenders from paying attention to and investigating the truth behind Li Wangyang’s death, and creating social fear. This is a serious violation of citizens’ rights to personal freedom、 freedom of expression、 the right to know、 and the right to supervise; it is an overt violation of Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “Everyone has the right to life、 liberty and security of person”； Article 5: “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel、 inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”； Article 9: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest、 detention or exile”； and Article 19: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression； this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek、 receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”； violating the United； Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, which “emphasizes the prime responsibility and duty of States to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms， recognizes that individuals、 groups and associations have the right and the responsibility to promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and to contribute to the promotion of these rights and freedoms at the national and international levels”； Article 1: “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”； Article 6: “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others：(a) To know、 seek、 obtain

2289;accept and preserve all information concerning human rights and fundamental freedoms, including obtaining information on how domestic legislative, judicial or administrative systems implement these rights and freedoms”; Article 12 “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to participate in peaceful activities against violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms”. At the same time, this also violates the provisions of China’s Constitution that “the state respects and guarantees human rights” and that “unlawful detention and the unlawful deprivation or restriction of citizens’ personal freedom by other means are prohibited”; it also violates the provisions of the National Human Rights Action Plan (2012–2015), including “continually raising the level of protection of citizens’ right to know”, “opening up various channels and guaranteeing citizens’ freedom of speech and right of expression in accordance with the law”, and “continually improving the oversight system, strengthening checks on and supervision of the exercise of power, and effectively guaranteeing citizens’ rights to democratic oversight”.

“Rights Defense Network” strongly demands:

1. Immediately release all those who have been detained, placed under house arrest, kidnapped, or unlawfully held because they paid attention to the death of Li Wangyang, and restore their personal freedom and basic human rights;

2. Allow citizens and professionals in law, medicine and other fields to openly question, investigate and discuss the death of Li Wangyang, and publish all materials, video recordings and contact information of personnel related to the death of Li Wangyang;

3. Pursue and punish, in accordance with the law, those responsible for suppressing rights defenders who have paid attention to the death of Li Wangyang, and provide state compensation to the victims;

4. As soon as possible, initiate political reform beginning with the correction of the tragedy of “June 4,” so as to eliminate institutionally the roots that could lead to the recurrence of an incident like the death of Li Wangyang.

Rights Defense Network, July 18, 2012