In Sichuan County, the six siblings of the Yu family have been fighting for their rights for over a decade after inheriting mountainous forest land left by their parents that was unfairly dealt with by authorities. Despite their efforts, the issue remains unresolved. When they traveled to Beijing to voice their grievances, they were kidnapped and sent back, their personal freedom restricted. For the past two years, they have been confined to the local area, unable to work or seek medical treatment.
Over the past decade, the Yu siblings have faced oppression and have been unable to work due to their advocacy efforts, leading to extreme financial hardship, mental anguish, and deteriorating health. The current situation in Gong County has further exacerbated their difficulties. Recently, the siblings produced a video to highlight their struggle for rights, but local authorities have forced the distributor to delete the video.
The youngest sibling, Yu Fangtang, who used to work in Beijing, is now confined to their hometown and unable to work. A few months ago, he suffered three broken ribs due to interference from stability maintenance personnel during his advocacy activities, but could not afford medical treatment. His sister, Yu Fenglian, and her husband have also been harassed by authorities. Under immense psychological pressure, Yu Fenglian was diagnosed with cancer last year and now struggles to even go out for medical treatment.
On August 11, 2025, Yu Fangtang and Yu Fenglian went to the county government in Gong County to report their issues to the county magistrate. Yu Fangtang was beaten by accompanying personnel, resulting in three broken ribs and hospitalization, with the police refusing to file a case. At the same time, local authorities dispatched security guards to monitor and restrict their movements, preventing them from leaving Gong County.
Yu Fangtang told a reporter, “The Gong County People’s Hospital claimed it was a fracture in the fifth rib on my right side, but they did not treat me and instead halted the medical care. I had to evade their surveillance to go to the orthopedic hospital in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, where it was confirmed that three ribs were broken. Before I could receive treatment, the security guards tracked me down and brought me back to Gong County for detention.”
Yu Fenglian also shared with the reporter, “I have been under surveillance and restricted from leaving Gong County by local authorities for over six months. Wherever I go, they follow me, and calling the police is of no use. That’s why we sought help from a media company to create the advocacy video. We hope it will help push forward our case.”
The video depicts the various challenges and hardships faced by the Yu siblings in their quest for justice. After the video was posted online, the police began seeking its deletion, prompting the siblings to urge everyone to save it quickly.
In 2009, the six siblings of the Yu family in Gong County, Sichuan, inherited forest land from their parents. However, the county’s administrative department mistakenly granted land use rights to a neighbor, Yu Ju, and the land was illegally exploited and sold by Yu Qing, a local official. The amount involved exceeded one million RMB, and the depletion of the land’s resources prompted the Yu siblings to demand a review of the legality of the administrative actions, but to no avail.
Through legal advocacy, the courts at various levels rejected their cases citing a statute of limitations. The superior court acknowledged that the case was not time-barred and should be accepted, yet their appeal ended without resolution. Promises of coordination from the leadership handling the case were unfulfilled. When the Yu siblings applied for a hearing, the relevant officials adjourned the meeting prematurely without a legal conclusion to this day.
During their advocacy efforts, the Yu siblings faced continuous targeted repression, being monitored around the clock and restricted from leaving Gong County. Yu Fenglian was previously detained and had her freedom restricted, forcibly taken back by unknown individuals when attempting to report issues in Beijing or elsewhere, physically assaulted, had her phone seized and evidence deleted, and developed a serious tumor due to prolonged stress. She is now unable to leave Gong County, with her right to treatment and life being deprived of, further deteriorating her health and enduring mental anguish.
The Yu siblings hope that the relevant authorities will investigate the land rights dispute, hold those responsible accountable, restore fairness and justice to them, and allow them to return to a normal life.