In April 2023, Ding Jiaxi’s sentence was announced: 12 years for “subversion of state power.” His wife Sophie Luo adamantly opposed the ruling, telling Axios it was arbitrary.

New Citizen’s Movement

Ding Jiaxi and Dr. Xu Zhiyong co-founded the New Citizen’s Movement, an effort that called for greater transparency from the Chinese government. As lawyers, they also utilized China’s Constitution to advocate for human rights and democracy. Their efforts, unfortunately, led to severe persecution and harassment from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Both men were disbarred and faced previous prison sentences.

Xiamen Dinner 

In December 2019, several prominent activists attended an informal dinner in Xiamen. Ding Jiaxi and Dr. Xu attended the dinner, where everyone discussed the future of China and Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement. Authorities then arrested Ding and the other attendees shortly afterward.

Tortured

In February 2021, ChinaAid confirmed that authorities tortured Ding Jiaxi and Dr. Xu Zhiyong during house arrest. Their captors deprived both men of sleep, only allowing them to rest up to four hours a day. They starved Ding. According to sources, police provided him with half a bun for meals and only allowed him 20 ounces of water per day.

Resolve

Ding Jiaxi’s wife “Sophie” Luo Shengchun tirelessly advocates for her husband. She regularly appears as a witness in congressional hearings and meets with US officials on her husband’s behalf. Ding himself refuses to give up. Upon hearing some of the news of international support, the human rights activist said “For my convictions, I am willing to keep going, and am prepared for anything.”

Imprisonment and Verdict

For three years, Ding Jiaxi suffered in prison waiting for his verdict. According to the lawyer, Ding exercises often despite feeling unwell. On April 10, Sophie Luo announced her husband’s verdict. She criticized it, telling Radio Free Asia that the decision was “barbaric.”