Leukaemia Patient Blames Vaccine for Illness, Faces Harsh Sentencing for Petitioning

2025 World Report on Human Rights, China Section Cover Screenshot (Screenshot from Human Rights Watch official website)

[People News] Zhao Yajing, a leukaemia patient from Shanxi, has been persistent in her efforts to petition the authorities, seeking justice for her severe illness, which she suspects was caused by a vaccine. Recently, she was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for the crime of provoking trouble. Zhao feels utterly hopeless and has stated that she will not appeal, saying, 'I want to die in prison.' Her husband, Wang Hongyi, was previously sentenced to six months in prison for the same charge after he petitioned the Health Commission.

Wang Hongyi informed Radio Free Asia after receiving the judgment from the Qi County Court in Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province, that his seriously ill wife did not appeal after hearing the judge's ruling because, 'She told me before that she no longer wants to live and wants to die in prison, as she sees no hope. Her experiences in fighting for her rights over the past few years have left her exhausted, and her condition has gradually worsened alongside her efforts to seek justice, leading to a state of depression. The judgment was issued over ten days ago, and I only received the judgment today.'

At 31 years old, Zhao Yajing originally had a stable job and a normal life. After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, she received the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Sinovac shortly after getting married. A few weeks later, she began to experience severe discomfort and was eventually diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia. Zhao and her family suspect a connection between her illness and the vaccine, and they have since filed a complaint, hoping for a reasonable explanation and compensation.

However, following an investigation by local authorities and the disease control department of the Chinese Communist Party, it was concluded that Zhao Yajing is classified as having a "coincidental syndrome." This means that while the onset of her illness coincided with her vaccination, there is no direct causal link, leading them to refuse any further accountability. Zhao Yajing and her husband, Wang Hongyi, disagree with this conclusion and have repeatedly reported their situation to the National Health Commission of the Chinese Communist Party, the State Council's Petition Bureau, and other relevant departments, seeking assistance through mailing documents and raising their voices online.

Her Condition Continues to Worsen, and She is not Receiving Adequate Treatment in the Detention Centre

Consequently, Zhao Yajing has faced multiple warnings and summons from the Dongguan Police Station in Qixian. In April of this year, the Qixian Court in Shanxi Province sentenced her to two years and nine months in prison for "disturbing public order" due to her actions, which included posting information in a WeChat group, sending complaint materials to representatives of the National People's Congress, and protesting in front of the National Health Commission.

Sources close to the situation revealed that Zhao Yajing was in a state of extreme depression during the court hearing, stating, "I don't want to appeal anymore; let it be, I will die in prison." Court records also indicate that she suffers from a serious illness, with her condition continuing to deteriorate. Nevertheless, the judgment characterised her actions as "seriously malicious with significant social impact," warranting legal punishment. Wang Hongyi expressed concern over his wife's declining health: "Her current condition shows a mutation in leukemia genes, and several tests have returned positive results, indicating acute myeloid leukemia, which is likely in the relapse stage."

Wang Hongyi, the husband of Zhao Yajing, stated that Zhao's condition has shown signs of genetic mutations, and she initially required emergency chemotherapy. However, she is unable to receive effective treatment while in the detention centre. A doctor had provided a medical certificate for hospitalisation, but the court did not approve her request for medical parole. He remarked, "She has lost all hope of survival... her mental state has completely collapsed. We only got married in August 2020, and everything was normal during the pre-marital check-up. After she received the vaccine, she began to experience fatigue, and we never imagined she would develop such a severe illness."

Husband Sentenced for Petitioning, Family Deeply Trapped in Debt

Wang Hongyi revealed that during their prolonged treatment, they have accrued substantial debt. Zhao Yajing even requested a refund of the medical examination fees she had previously paid while in detention, hoping to use the money for household living expenses. The treatment-related costs alone have reached 600,000 yuan, while the local government's relief funds are grossly inadequate to cover these expenses.

In their quest for government compensation, Wang Hongyi and Zhao Yajing persistently petitioned in Beijing to assert their rights. On December 1, 2022, Wang Hongyi was sentenced to six months in prison by the court for 'picking quarrels and provoking trouble,' and he was released upon completing his sentence in June of the following year. He stated, 'At that time, the Communist Party promised to assist me with 130,000 yuan, but after waiting endlessly, I received no news. Then I went to Beijing with Qian Dalong (a rights defender for vaccine victims) to the Health Commission, and after returning (to my hometown), our local area also failed to provide any assistance, and I ended up with a six-month prison sentence.'

The court ruling indicates that on January 7, 2025, around 3 PM, during the bail period, defendant Zhao Yajing gathered for an extended period with Liu Yanling, Song Yuner, Zhang Weiduo, Xu Yingxia, and Zhai Zhihui at the Beijing Health Commission. While others shouted slogans like 'We want to see the leaders,' Zhao Yajing and the others surrounded the entrance of the Health Commission for a prolonged time, resulting in a serious social impact, with 'the facts being clear and the evidence being conclusive,' among other statements.

Punished for Demonstrating and Chanting Slogans in Front of the Health Commission

Qian Dalong, a COVID-19 vaccine rights activist in Beijing, informed Radio Free Asia that those who protested in front of the National Health Commission faced various degrees of punishment afterwards. He stated, 'This is quite unusual; when they are unable to resolve the issue, they first 'resolve' the individuals involved. On that day, we went to demonstrate and chant slogans outside the National Health Commission, and they arrested us. Wang Hongyi was sentenced to six months for 'picking quarrels and provoking trouble,' I was placed under 'residential surveillance' for a year, Liang Xiaoqiang received a suspended sentence, and Wu Song was also given a suspended sentence.'

Following the verdict in the Zhao Yajing case, there was a significant backlash online. Many netizens questioned why the authorities would resort to criminal measures against an ordinary person suffering from a serious illness who merely sought fair treatment.

(Source: Radio Free Asia)