In a recent development on September 19, 2025, citizen journalist Zhang Zhan’s case went to trial in Shanghai. Authorities took extreme measures to prevent citizens from attending the trial. Human rights activist Song Jiahong and over ten other petitioners were inexplicably summoned to the police station on their way to the courthouse and were only released around 2 p.m.
On that fateful morning, Song Jiahong was summoned by the police at the She Mountain Police Station in Songjiang District on suspicion of provocation. In response, he filed an administrative review application, seeking to confirm the illegality of the police summoning procedure. Recently, he requested to review the administrative review response letter of the requested person and discovered that the contents were all fabricated.
According to Song Jiahong, “I saw the ‘Administrative Review Response Opinion’ from the She Mountain Police Station claiming that I was ‘incoherent and confused in speech’ at Yanggao Middle Road Metro Station, and fabricated a story of ‘police assisting an elderly person (myself),’ leading to the cancellation of the illegal summon.”
On the morning of September 19, 2025, Zhang Zhan’s case was heard in the Pudong New Area Court. Song Jiahong felt that this case was known worldwide and, being a Shanghai resident, he had the privilege to understand it firsthand.
That morning, Song Jiahong set off together with petitioner Liang Xiuying. They took Line 9 of the subway and arrived at Yanggao Middle Road Subway Station, a short walk from the Pudong New Area Court at 611 Dingxiang Road. As they exited the station, a young man rushed towards them from behind and deliberately dropped his mobile phone. The young man then accused Song of breaking his phone screen and demanded compensation, calling the police for assistance and taking them to the police station for processing.
“During the process, four police officers from the She Mountain Police Station in Songjiang District suddenly appeared in the police station to take me away. When the procedure was not correct, and I refused to comply, one of them took out a prepared ‘Summons Certificate,’ clearly stating: ‘Song Jiahong is suspected of the crime of provocation and disturbance and is summoned in accordance with Article 82 of the Public Security Administration Punishment Law.'”
Song Jiahong was taken by police car to the She Mountain Police Station. Two officers took his statement until after one o’clock in the afternoon. With no basis for the charge of “provocation and disturbance,” he refused to sign.
Before two o’clock, Song was released from the police station. He expressed, “Inside the police station, there were also petitioners Zhou Guohuai from Yangpu District, Wang Zongze from Pudong New Area, Zhang Yaqin from Minhang District, and over ten others, all detained by the police on the same day for wanting to attend Zhang Zhan’s trial. All petitioners were released around 2 p.m.” he said.
“For the summoning against me, the She Mountain Police Station resorted to extreme defamation. Four police officers, including one with badge number 066129, drove 40 kilometers to the Yanggao Middle Road Subway Station in Pudong to fulfill their political mission. Now I will hold them accountable for the procedural violations they committed; they cannot escape and can only rely on lying and boasting to evade responsibility.”
Song Jiahong submitted a government information disclosure request to the Songjiang Branch, requesting the full process of his summons by the She Mountain Police Station on that day to be made public. However, the reply in the “notification letter” stated that the information did not exist. As a result, Song Jiahong applied for an “administrative review,” which is currently under review, with the final decision pending.
According to the provisions of the Administrative Review Law, the applicant can review the response opinion given by the requested person (She Mountain Police Station) to the Songjiang District Government. Upon his review, Song Jiahong realized that the content was incorrect. “This Communist Party police officer is also being rogue,” Song said. “The ‘Administrative Review Response Opinion’ I saw stated that I was ‘incoherent and confused in speech’ at Yanggao Middle Road Metro Station, and fabricated a story about ‘police rescuing an elderly person’ and taking him back to the police station, ultimately canceling the illegal summon.”
He declared, “The evidence is in my hands, and there were not just one or two people present at the scene. If necessary, I can pursue charges of libel against them.”
Song Jiahong also expressed, “Of course, sometimes power can cover up everything, but power is not eternal and will fall. When the time comes for the settling of scores, no one can escape!”