Nanjing democratic activist Shi Tingfu, who was sentenced to three years in prison for assisting Xinjiang Aksu fruit farmers in defending their rights, is slated for release in January next year. However, he recently passed away in the Sandu Prison in Wensu County, Aksu, due to a heart attack. His son Shi Jing went to the prison to inquire about the situation and has since lost contact.
On the evening of September 22, Shi Jing received a phone call from the Sandu Prison in Wensu County, Aksu, informing him that Shi Tingfu had passed away that afternoon at 5 p.m. due to a heart attack, with his body currently being held at the funeral home.
Family members stated that Shi Tingfu had no history of heart disease, making his sudden passing difficult to accept. Shi Jing had visited his father not long ago, at which time Shi Tingfu’s health was good, and he had not mentioned any discomfort. The sudden death of Shi Tingfu has raised suspicions among the public regarding the cause of his death.
According to sources, Shi Jing later went to the Sandu Prison to understand the situation and handle Shi Tingfu’s affairs but has since disappeared without a trace.
Attempts by reporters to contact Shi Jing were unsuccessful.
Just a week before Shi Tingfu’s death, the Center for Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) released a report titled “Swept Under the Rug,” which highlighted that in the investigated cases, depriving adequate medical care was the most common form of torture. Based on 209 suspected torture cases between 2016 and 2025, the report found that 35% of the cases involved the denial of sufficient medical care, resulting in the death of 16 people during detention.
On September 23, the Center for Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) stated that although it cannot confirm that Shi Tingfu died due to inadequate medical care, the Xinjiang authorities must publicly disclose Shi Tingfu’s medical records and treatment, allow for an independent investigation, and prosecute anyone connected to Shi Tingfu’s death.
Shi Tingfu, 67, a native of Nanjing, participated in movements to rescue persecuted human rights lawyers and support families of political prisoners. He was arrested multiple times by the authorities and subjected to violence, arbitrary detention, and torture.
In January 2024, the police in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region detained Shi Tingfu on the grounds of leaking information to overseas media outlets such as Epoch Times and NTD about dissatisfaction among Aksu fruit farmers with the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. The authorities also accused him of “spreading and propagating terrorism and extremism,” depriving him of the right to timely legal assistance. Eventually, he was sentenced to three years in prison for “provocation and troublemaking,” serving his term at the Sandu Prison in Wensu County, Aksu, until January 15, 2027.