Briefing on Li Qiaochu’s Trip from Beijing to Lunan Prison in Shandong Province to Visit Xu Zhiyong on March 31, 2026

(Rights Defense Network Information Center report) On April 1, 2026, this website learned that Li Qiaochu traveled from Beijing to Lunan Prison in Shandong Province on March 31, 2026. The purpose of the trip was to accompany Xu Zhiyong’s older sister to the prison for a family visit and to apply to visit Xu Zhiyong. Xu Zhiyong’s mother recently passed away. As his family was unable to visit in February, Xu Zhiyong has not seen his family for more than two months. His family is concerned about whether he has learned of the changes at home and about his emotional state. Li Qiaochu hoped to apply for a visit on humanitarian grounds and learn about Xu Zhiyong’s condition.

At around 10 a.m. on March 31, Li Qiaochu posted an account of the trip on her WeChat Moments. The full text follows:

“My second older sister and I waited for half a day to get a number at the entrance, and I also spoke with the police officers nearby about wanting to submit an application to see whether I could go in and visit him together. At that point, our number was called. As the two male police officers at the entrance let my second older sister go in, they said: “You go in first. I’ll keep this young lady company here for a while,” and blocked me outside the entrance. I quickly asked whether I could submit the application materials and wanted to discuss the situation to see what could be done. One of the male police officers suddenly asked: “Who have you come to visit, and when was he brought in?” I was completely confused by the question: “Wasn’t his family member just let in?” The other party seemed even more bewildered than I was: “Then I don’t know. We don’t know anything.”

Almost an hour has passed. If I have understood correctly, this visit will end soon, while I have had no opportunity at all and have had no channel through which to communicate with prison leaders or submit the application procedures.

The sunlight is very warm. I am filled with all kinds of worries. Once everything today is over, will they simply get off work…… Will I still have any possibility of finding the responsible department to receive me, so that I can submit the application and communicate and coordinate…… I hope there will at least be a channel for me to speak with someone (P.S.: Seeing that I was too tired from standing outside, they brought a cushion several times and asked me to sit down and rest. They were quite considerate of me in this respect).”

At around 4 p.m. on March 31, the follow-up process was posted on WeChat Moments: At 11:30, when I saw that two hours had already passed, I began to feel anxious and asked the police officer next to me: How do I get to the procuratorial office stationed at the facility? He said it was in the office area inside and that I could not enter. I therefore planned to go directly to the Prison Administration Bureau, but the police officer next to me stopped me and would not let me leave. He then explained: “Your sister is still talking with the leaders. She will help coordinate things for you.” I said: “As the applicant, I need to submit [the application] and communicate directly. My second older sister’s communication as a relative and the matter of my application are two separate things.”

Almost another 20 minutes passed. I asked: “Is there an approximate time? If they finish and still ignore me, by the time I rush to the administration bureau, it will be closed for the day.” The police officer next to me kept saying that things were not yet finished on my sister’s side. I said: “I have not asked for anything to be resolved on the spot today. I just want to consult about the procedure according to the regulations and submit some materials. As long as someone receives me, that is enough.”

At around 12 o’clock, it finally happened after “calling out a thousand times”: The prison leaders said that under the regulations they could not accept my application materials and also said that I did not fall within the legally defined scope of relatives. I said: “I know that, but documents from the Ministry of Justice stipulate the application rights of other persons. You can approve it.” The other party said that this provision was not to be understood as I had understood it, and that only when, due to a family upheaval, there were no immediate relatives could other persons apply.

In the end, I could only return with the materials in my hands. Perhaps I have not studied the relevant legal provisions comprehensively enough. If we had not waited so long, my communication with the prison could have been more specific. I felt that the other party’s attitude was also very sincere.

But the most important thing today was that he knew I was so close by, and he smiled very happily.