Activists and lawyers face subversion charges in China

Activists and human rights lawyers in China are facing significant legal pressure and imprisonment under charges of “inciting subversion of state power.”

Li Yuanfeng, a social activist and former NGO worker, has been prosecuted by the Yiyang Intermediate People's Court. Li claims that authorities have restricted his defense lawyers from accessing case materials by labeling them state secrets. Li maintains that his writings and NGO activities, which focused on migrant worker rights and rural land issues, are public matters rather than state secrets.

Similarly, human rights lawyer Xie Yang was sentenced to five years in prison by the Changsha Intermediate People's Court in March 2026. Xie, who has a long history of defending victims of power abuse and participating in the 709 crackdown, was convicted of “inciting subversion of state power” and “disturbing court order.” His legal license was previously revoked in 2020.