Famous democracy activist and human rights defender Xu Lin, sentenced to 3 years and 9 months, has been in prison for two years

（Rights Defense Network Information Center report）On May 16, 2026，this website learned：today marks the second anniversary of the re-arrest of Xu Lin, a famous democracy activist and human rights defender who was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months。

Since 2010，Xu Lin has engaged in activities including holding up signs and giving speeches on the streets of Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other places, and organising citizens’ gatherings；in recent years, he has collaborated with Liu Sifang to create many songs about freedom, human rights and the rule of law；he has been arrested multiple times；on September 26, 2017，he was arrested and later sentenced to three years for the crime of picking quarrels and provoking trouble；on May 16, 2024，he was arrested again and later sentenced to 3 years and 9 months。Mr Xu Lin was transferred to Guangdong Yingde Prison in September 2025。His sentence runs until February 15, 2028。

During this imprisonment of Mr Xu Lin，the poor food and sanitary conditions caused Xu Lin to suffer severe malnutrition and lose weight to less than 100 jin；he has pain in multiple parts of his body：a breast lump and a perforated tooth。The Guangzhou Nansha Detention Center, where he was previously held, not only failed to provide medical treatment，but also deprived Xu Lin of his right to communicate。The Chinese Communist authorities’ cruel torture of Xu Lin led him to state that he would strive to defend his rights and might not rule out fighting with his life。

Profile of Xu Lin：Born on April 9, 1964，he is from Zhuzhou City, Hunan Province，a poet，philosophy researcher，Guangdong online writer，member of the Independent Chinese PEN Center，democratic dissident，and Chinese prisoner of conscience。

He began writing current-affairs articles and poetry and composing songs in the late 1990s，and from 2010 onward actively engaged in activities including holding up signs and giving speeches on the streets of Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other places, and organising citizens’ gatherings; in recent years，because he collaborated with rights-protecting citizen Liu Sifang，he composed and produced multiple songs about freedom，human rights and the rule of law, which were greatly liked and welcomed by freedom and democracy enthusiasts，thereby arousing the strong dissatisfaction of the Guangdong authorities and making him a target of intense stability maintenance and control，and he was subjected to multiple instances of unlawful detention and secret confinement;

In 2012，after he adapted and set to music the poem “It Is Time” by Zhejiang dissident Zhu Yufu as “Right Now,” which attracted widespread attention and reposting by internet users, Guangzhou police placed him under criminal detention on April 4 of that year on suspicion of “inciting subversion of state power”，and he was held at the Guangzhou Panyu Detention Center，with authorities alleging that his crime was even more serious than holding up signs on the streets of Guangzhou and showed an obvious intention to incite the public to take to the streets, making the circumstances extremely serious; on May 4, the Guangdong authorities changed this to secret residential surveillance at another location，during which his family repeatedly asked the authorities to produce written notices and identify the place of detention, but were unexpectedly refused each time; in August of the same year，he participated in the “Thousand-Person Citizens’ Gathering at Lianhuashan Park” initiated by democracy activist Wang Dengchao，and planned to deliver a political speech at the event, but was unexpectedly abducted by the authorities beforehand and later secretly detained for three months;

In August 2015，he angered the authorities by releasing the song “Song of the Justice Lawyers,” composed in response to the “709” mass arrests, and his employer forced him out of work under pressure from the authorities，and he was abducted and placed under house arrest in Guangzhou for one month。

On September 26, 2017，on the eve of the convening of the 19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party，while he was caring for his ill father in his hometown in Hunan, he was suddenly placed under criminal detention by police from the Nansha District of Guangzhou on suspicion of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”，his residence in Guangzhou was searched and personal belongings including computers，mobile phones，books and notebooks were confiscated；the next day，his songwriting partner Liu Sifang was also taken away by police in Yichun City, Jiangxi Province, on the same grounds；

On November 2, 2017，he was formally arrested by the Nansha District Procuratorate of Guangzhou on suspicion of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”，and held at the Nansha District Detention Center in Guangzhou；it was learned that he was subjected to torture while in custody and was interrogated by police working in three shifts every day from October 5 to October 20；he consistently provided no confession；on December 7, 2018，the Nansha District Court of Guangzhou sentenced him to three years in prison for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” with his sentence running until September 25, 2020。He previously served his sentence at Gaoming Prison in Foshan City, Guangdong Province。

Mr Xu Lin was again criminally detained on May 17, 2024, by the Nansha District branch of the Guangzhou Public Security Bureau on suspicion of picking quarrels and provoking trouble。On June 22, 2024，it was learned that he had been formally arrested。He remained in custody at the Guangzhou Nansha Detention Center。His trial was held on March 18, 2025，and on August 8, 2025, the Xu Lin case was adjudicated at the Guangzhou Nansha District Court, where Xu Lin was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months, with his sentence running until February 15, 2028。On September 11, 2025, he was transferred to Guangdong Yingde Prison（No. 1, Fourth Road, Jinzi Mountain Avenue North, Yingde City, Guangdong Province）。

This website will continue to follow Mr Xu Lin’s situation。