(Sichuan – June 9, 2025) At 3:00 p.m. on June 3, 2025, renowned human rights activist Mr. Chen Yunfei was forcibly summoned by National Security officers from the Pidu District in Chengdu, and officers from the Zhujiang Road Police Station in Xipu Town. He was taken to the police station and subjected to a five-hour interrogation while strapped to a “tiger chair.”

Confiscation of Personal Property Without Documentation

Chen Yunfei’s personal belongings, including his mobile phone and Wi-Fi device, were confiscated immediately upon arrival at the station without any official documentation or a receipt for temporary seizure. Although items such as his backpack were later returned, the phone and Wi-Fi device were finally given back to him 24 hours later, after he had filed three police reports.

Distress Caused to Chen Yunfei’s Elderly Mother

Chen Yunfei’s 91-year-old elderly mother was terrified and distressed by his sudden “disappearance.” After Chen Yunfei was summoned, he requested that the police arrange for community workers to deliver noodles to his mother. However, she did not hear anyone knock, so the noodles were left hanging outside the door. When Chen Yunfei returned home and opened the door, he found his trembling mother curled up alone on her bed. When he asked why she had not opened the door when the food was delivered, she tearfully and shakily replied in a low voice: “I could not hear anything; even if I could, I would be too scared to open the door.”

Secret Detention at Remote Resort Location

Subsequently, eight or nine police officers forcibly took Chen Yunfei and his mother to the No. 1 Villa building at the “Lingyun Caotang” leisure resort nearly 20 kilometers away, where they were kept under surveillance. Police claimed the reason for summoning him was that Chen Yunfei had posted multiple tweets during the period around the anniversary of June fourth, alleging that these tweets constituted “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” Authorities specifically cited his retweets of a post by Twitter user “Potato Mom” celebrating the birthday of Pastor Wang Yi of the Early Rain Covenant Church and another post featuring a speech by prominent Taiwanese professor Ming Chu-cheng.

The official summons document was only provided to Chen Yunfei after he repeatedly demanded it while being interrogated on the tiger chair.

Ongoing Harassment Since Prison Release

Since his release from prison on March 25, 2025, after completing his sentence, Chen Yunfei has been forcibly summoned multiple times for posting tweets. Most recently, on April 30, he was held for over two hours after retweeting a post from Minsheng Guancha (Civil Rights & Livelihood Watch).

Legal Response and Personal Convictions

Chen Yunfei stated that he intends to file an administrative reconsideration and lawsuit over this incident.

Chen Yunfei is a prominent human rights activist in China who participated in the 1989 pro-democracy movement and has been imprisoned multiple times. In 2020, he was baptized at the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu and has shared testimonies of encountering God while in prison.

(Reported by Special Correspondent Gao Zhensai of ChinaAid)