Famous human rights lawyer Xie Yang, sentenced to 5 years for speech, decides to waive appeal

（(Report by the Information Center of Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch)）On April 10, 2026，this website learned：prominent human rights lawyer Xie Yang was convicted for his speech，and on March 23, 2026, was sentenced to five years in prison by the Changsha Intermediate People's Court for “inciting subversion of state power”. Today，after many difficulties, his defense lawyer met with Xie Yang，and Xie Yang decided to waive his appeal，hoping to be transferred to prison as soon as possible to experience prison life. He was moved to tears by lawyer Kai's recent support for him.

Resume of lawyer Xie Yang：Born on February 4, 1972，a native of Changsha, Hunan Province，former lawyer at Tiandiren Law Firm and Changsha Jingyingke Law Firm，former lawyer at Hunan Gangwei Law Firm，human rights lawyer，political prisoner detained in China.

Since formally beginning legal practice in 2011，he has been subjected repeatedly to obstruction, pressure and suppression by judicial authorities for representing numerous cases involving abuses of public power，such as the Xue Mingkai case in Qufu County, Shandong Province、the Zhang Baocheng case in Beijing's New Citizens Movement、the Nanle religious case in Nanle County, Henan Province、the land requisition case of Zhang Kaihua in Liuyang City, Hunan Province, and other rights-defense cases，as well as for actively following and participating in social rights-defense movements (including visiting blind lawyer Chen Guangcheng and supporting the lawyers arrested in Jiansanjiang, among others)，and has consequently been repeatedly obstructed, pressured and suppressed by judicial authorities；

On November 15, 2011，he was beaten and robbed by local criminal forces for traveling alone to Dongshigu Village, Shandong Province, to visit blind lawyer Chen Guangchen；

In August 2013，while representing a civil lending dispute, he was fined 50,000 yuan by the Hunan Lawyers Association for demanding the deliberating panel's decision in order to safeguard his client's interests，and was required by his law firm to terminate his contract and leave；

On February 13, 2014，he was taken away by authorities of the Hunan Provincial Department of Justice for “being invited for a talk and tea” because he was the commissioned defense lawyer in the “Shandong Xue Family murder case”；on February 20, 2014，while representing Zhang Kaihua, a land-rights defender in Liuyang City, Hunan Province, he was subjected to brutal obstruction by the local court when appearing in court；from October 2013 to May 2014，he was subjected to disguised suppression by the Hunan Lawyers Association, which refused to approve the procedures for transferring to another firm, because he had represented rights-defense cases on multiple occasions；

In March 2015，because he actively represented multiple cases involving forced land expropriation and demolition in Yuhua District, Changsha City，he was illegally expelled by the local court while representing farmers from Lianhu Village in an administrative lawsuit over land expropriation；on May 17, 2015，because he was representing a rights-defense case for a client at the Beibu Gulf Building Materials Market in Nanning, Guangxi，he was attacked with weapons by several unidentified people, suffering serious injuries and a fracture to his right leg，although he reported it to the police, the local police did not respond for a long time；

On July 11, 2015，he was taken away by police in Changsha City, Hunan Province, during the Chinese Communist Party's “709 mass arrests”，and was later placed under residential surveillance at a designated location on suspicion of “disturbing court order” and “inciting subversion of state power”、the two offenses; his defense lawyer's request to meet with him was denied；

On January 9, 2016，he was formally arrested by Changsha police on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power”；

On May 8, 2017，his case was heard at the Changsha Intermediate People's Court in Hunan Province，but because he was forced to confess guilt in court and denied having been tortured，he was temporarily released on bail pending trial that day；on December 26 of the same year，the Changsha Intermediate People's Court formally pronounced its verdict：he was guilty of inciting subversion of state power but exempted from criminal punishment；although he was not sentenced to prison, he was nevertheless subjected to long-term house arrest and close surveillance；

On January 11, 2022，Xie Yang was taken away by Changsha police and lost contact after traveling to Yongshun County, Hunan Province, at the end of 2022 to support Li Tiantian, a pregnant female teacher who had been forcibly confined in a psychiatric hospital for posting comments online; it was later learned that he had been criminally detained on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power” and “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”；his residence was searched, many personal belongings were damaged, and two computers and a safe were taken away；on February 17, 2022，the Changsha Procuratorate formally approved his arrest on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power”. He was tortured in prison. Xie Yang is currently detained at the Changsha No. 1 Detention Center (No. 1736 Yuanda 2, Quantang Subdistrict, Changsha County, Changsha City, Hunan Province，postal code：410131).

On March 23, 2026，lawyer Xie Yang was sentenced to five years in prison by the Changsha Intermediate People's Court for “inciting subversion of state power” and had 100,000 yuan in property confiscated. The reason for the sentence was certain WeChat statements made by Xie Yang. His sentence runs until January 10, 2027.

This website will continue to follow lawyer Xie Yang's situation.