Latest Update on Detained Anhui Self-Media Writer Ms. Wu Huaiyun

(Rights Defense Network Information Center report) On August 12, 2026, this outlet learned that Ms. Wu Huaiyun, an Anhui self-media writer who was previously sentenced to 3 years and 10 months for her speech, was arrested once again in May 2025 and is currently being held at the Lu’an Detention Center in Anhui Province. The case handlers are Wang Wenxiang (or Wang Wenqiang) and Sun Wenye of the Domestic Security Brigade of Huoshan County, Lu’an City, Anhui Province. Telephone: 0564-5033629 Huoshan County Public Security Bureau: 0564-5028141; presiding judge: 0564-3929286.

It is reported that Wu Huaiyun’s current lawyer is a government-appointed official lawyer: Huang Bin of Guanchu Law Firm in Yu’an District, Lu’an, Anhui (telephone: 0564-3289596; Huang Bin’s telephone: 13865763583). Online information shows that Huang Bin is a Communist Party-member lawyer and has been publicly listed by the Yu’an District Government of Lu’an City as the legal adviser for villages and residential communities in Pingqiao Township of that district.

Wu Huaiyun’s profile: An Anhui self-media writer, female, with the Twitter name “Xinyue Baiyun.” Born on December 15, 1970, she is from Huoshan County, Anhui Province.

Wu Huaiyun was originally a well-known entertainment writer in China, posting and writing annually on multiple major domestic platforms. After joining Twitter in September 2018 under the name “Xinyue Baiyun,” she was accused of defaming Party and state leaders because of the tweets she posted. Her domestic accounts—including her Weibo verified account, Sina blog, and WeChat public account “Xinyue Weibo”—were all shut down on the same day. In October 2018, she was placed in administrative detention and held in a detention facility for 11 days.

On March 23, 2021, the Huoshan County Public Security Bureau in Anhui criminally detained Wu Huaiyun on suspicion of the crime of picking quarrels and provoking trouble, citing her tweets, and placed her in a detention center. She was subsequently formally arrested and prosecuted, and was later sentenced purely because of her speech by the Huoshan County Court on September 20, 2023, to 3 years and 10 months in prison for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” Her sentence ended on January 11, 2025.

Wu Huaiyun suffered extensive abuse and torment in prison. She was given six or seven injections and was forced to take medication for more than two years. She was forced to admit guilt and accept punishment; otherwise, her detention would continually be extended and she would receive a heavier sentence. She was held for 28 months before the verdict was issued. While in prison, she was beaten by a group of police officers, leaving her face bruised and swollen, and suffered soft-tissue and rib injuries in multiple parts of her body, yet Wu Huaiyun consistently refused to admit guilt.

After her release, on April 28, 2025, local police again summoned Wu Huaiyun to a police station and threatened and warned her. They even intended to impose a fine of up to 10,000 yuan. Because the police knew Wu Huaiyun had no money, they did not ask her to pay. The reason given for handling her was that she had posted on Twitter. She said that she had posted only a few items, all of them famous quotations posted on Twitter after being taken from domestic sources. The police said that regardless of what content you post, accessing foreign websites by circumventing the firewall is illegal.

Since Wu Huaiyun was released after completing her prison sentence and returned home, police have repeatedly gone to her home in the name of showing concern, mostly asking about her internet use. This has continued to cause Ms. Wu Huaiyun enormous psychological pressure and distress. Ms. Wu Huaiyun was arrested once again in May 2025 and is currently being held at the Lu’an Detention Center in Anhui Province.

This outlet will continue to follow Ms. Wu Huaiyun’s situation.