The highly anticipated trial of media figure Yin Jiangen accused of “provocation and troublemaking crime” (also known as the Pen Writing case) began at 9 a.m. on February 11 in the Hecounty Court. According to on-site reports, only three hearing permits were issued to Yin Jiangen’s side out of the 24 seats in the gallery, the remaining 20 seats having been occupied by “mysterious individuals.”
Hunan media person Yin Jiangen, a former rule of law online journalist, whose public WeChat account is named “Sunshine under the Pen,” had been arrested in August 2025 for writing articles criticizing the party secretary of Liyang Town in Hecounty, Anhui Province, after advocating for Chen Dezhen, a visitor from Anhui who had been detained for pursuing funds owed by a brick factory.
The “Pen Writing case” was brought to trial at the second courtroom of the Hecounty Court on February 11. While the trial was ostensibly open to the public, many citizens who arrived early to observe were denied entry, with the court issuing only three hearing permits to Yin Jiangen’s family and defense team. The other 20 seats were already filled before 8 a.m.
Arguments between on-site citizens prepared to observe and court police ensued, with some questioning the court’s potential secretive dealings, but the police chose not to respond.
Upon learning of this, the public account “Love Your Planet” publicly stated that these “seat fillers” were of unknown identity, neither media reporters nor directly involved parties in the case. They seemed to be there merely to complete a mission, turning this “seat-filling observation” into a deprivation of the public and media’s oversight of the case, transforming the public trial into a closed affair.
Netizens following this case expressed suspicions about this “seat-filling observation” behavior, whether it was a coincidence or a deliberate evasion of judicial transparency. “I suspect this is another illegal seat-filling operation, oh Hecounty, how can I describe you!” one netizen remarked.
The trial of the Pen Writing case lasted the entire day, concluding around midnight. The prosecutor accused Yin Jiangen of using false press credentials to deceive, making false reports, insulting officials for personal gain, and recommended a heavy sentence.
Ding Hongfen, a human rights activist attending as an observer, told the reporter from Da Ji Yuan that due to the prosecutor collecting 21 articles written by Yin Jiangen supporting visitors and human rights activists as evidence, the trial was lengthy.
However, Ding Hongfen stated, “These 21 articles are all about reports from other regions, with only one concerning Chen Dezhen in Hecounty. The prosecutor brought them all as evidence. In theory, articles not related to Hecounty should not be admitted in court. As a result, the lawyer applied for the prosecutor and the court to recuse themselves. The judge mentioned discussing it with the court president, but they did not recuse themselves and continued the trial.”
According to Ding Hongfen, during his defense in court, Yin Jiangen maintained that his press credentials were legitimate, verifiable on the internet. The articles he wrote were based on facts, investigations he had conducted, and evidence he had obtained. He had not insulted officials but merely offered criticism, which does not constitute a crime. Yin Jiangen claimed he had never received payment from anyone but had a voluntary tip option below his website articles, and over the years, he had collected only a few tens of thousands of yuan.
The key figure in this case, Chen Dezhen, also appeared in court as a witness.
Chen Dezhen told Da Ji Yuan that “I stated in court that the reports Yin Jiangen wrote for me, regarding the actions of the party secretary Liu Ying in Hecounty, are all factual, with no falsehoods. I did not pay any remuneration to Yin Jiangen.”
When asked how she knew Yin Jiangen, Chen Dezhen mentioned they had connected online. She stated that she had been vocal online about the government falsely accusing her and detaining her for a year, and then detaining her for 18 days in July last year when she refused to agree to discuss property demolition concerns. Yin Jiangen had written relevant reports to support her.
She added, “Now the authorities want to make this case solid by convicting Yin Jiangen. Yin Jiangen firmly claims his innocence. Reader tips on articles are allowed by the platform, which is not considered a crime.”