A comparison photo of dissident Xu Guang before (left) and after his release (right) highlights a dramatic change in his physique, a result of his prolonged hunger strike. (Provided by volunteers)
[People News] Xu Guang, who was sentenced to four years in prison for 'picking quarrels and provoking trouble,' was released on May 19 this year. Friends of Xu Guang recently shared photos taken after his release, showing that he has lost considerable weight and looks drastically different from his pre-arrest self. His friends noted that he has been so severely tortured in prison that he is hardly recognisable. 'He was carried home by a few people; he had been on a hunger strike for four years, with the first three and a half years being fed through a nasal tube.'
As reported by Radio Free Asia, Xu Guang, a founding member of the China Democracy Party's Zhejiang Committee and a participant in the 1989 Hangzhou student movement, was released from prison on May 19. Due to his long-term hunger strike during detention and repeated reports of deteriorating health, along with years of restricted family visits, many dissidents in Hangzhou have expressed ongoing concern for Xu Guang's physical condition and personal freedom following his release.
Mr Liu, a dissident from Hangzhou, told reporters this Wednesday that Xu Guang appeared emaciated upon his release, which saddened those in the community: 'I heard that Xu Guang had been on a long-term hunger strike, and the prison authorities were afraid he would die inside, so they force-fed him. They tied him to the bed and inserted a tube into his stomach, similar to what Zhang Zhan experienced during her hunger strike in prison. Now he is back home and slowly recovering. The national security police do not allow us to visit him.'
According to the Zhejiang Committee of the China Democracy Party, 57-year-old Xu Guang has been sentenced to four years in prison by the Hangzhou West Lake District Court for 'picking quarrels and provoking trouble,' with his sentence scheduled to conclude on May 19, 2026. He had previously been held at the Hangzhou Beijiao Prison and the prison hospital.
Mr Chen, a democratic activist who is concerned about Xu Guang's situation, told reporters: 'We are all worried about whether his health can return to what it was before his arrest. He is now hunched over, and even walking is a struggle for him. While in prison, he was also denied visits from lawyers and family members.'
Photos shared by friends show that, compared to images taken before his arrest in May 2022, Xu Guang now appears hunched over, with his head down, looking away, and has noticeably lost weight. In contrast, the photos from before his arrest show him looking normal, with a determined and confident demeanour. Furthermore, the Zhejiang Committee of the China Democracy Party disclosed that during his detention, Xu Guang undertook a long-term hunger strike in protest and at one point had to rely on nasal feeding to stay alive.
The long-term hunger strike in prison has drawn significant attention.
From 1986 to 1990, Xu Guang studied biology at Hangzhou University and was a prominent participant in the 1989 Hangzhou student movement. In 1998, he helped organise the Zhejiang Committee of the China Democracy Party. In 1999, he was sentenced to five years in prison for 'subverting state power.'
After his release from prison in 2004, Xu Guang continued to engage in activities related to democracy, human rights, and rights protection. Over the years, he faced multiple instances of administrative detention and criminal custody. Notably, in 2014, he was criminally detained by the Zhejiang authorities on suspicion of 'subverting state power' for participating in discussions about the China Democracy Party on QQ, but he was later released. In 2018, Xu Guang participated in the 'May Day Resonance' event organised by overseas activists and was detained by the Hangzhou police for a week, during which he staged a hunger strike in protest.
In May 2022, just before the anniversary of the June Fourth incident, Xu Guang was taken away by the Hangzhou police for holding a placard and making related statements. He was formally arrested on May 31, 2022, and later charged with 'picking quarrels and provoking trouble.'
Members of the Zhejiang Committee of the China Democracy Party reported that after Xu Guang was criminally detained, he engaged in a prolonged hunger strike, relying on nasal feeding to survive. According to a report from the Rights Protection Network in November 2024, his weight had dropped to over 40 kilograms at one point.
Mr Sun, a dissident from Hangzhou, told reporters: 'For someone like Xu Guang, who has been on a long-term hunger strike and under strict supervision, his physical recovery after being released from prison requires ongoing observation from the outside world. I also hope that international human rights organisations will pay attention to Xu Guang.' He emphasised that in mainland China, it is often very difficult for the outside world to fully understand the true circumstances of individuals detained in political cases.
Cumulative prison terms exceeding 9 years
Throughout the years, Xu Guang has been involved in activities supporting Wei Jingsheng, promoting the establishment of the China Democracy Party, and participating in hunger strikes as part of rights protection and anti-violence efforts. Following the death of Zhejiang Democracy Party member Wang Rongqing, Lu Gengsong, Chen Shuqing, and others were subsequently sentenced (and have since been released), yet Xu Guang continued to engage in organisational activities.
Recent information released by the Zhejiang Committee of the China Democratic Party reveals that despite facing multiple rounds of political repression, Xu Guang and several members of the Zhejiang Democratic Party have managed to sustain their organisational activities. Public records indicate that Xu Guang has spent more than 9 years in prison. For many years, his case has drawn significant attention from international human rights organisations and democratic groups. △
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