After serving a four-year sentence, Jia Xin, a participant in the Southern Movement and a human rights defender, has been released from prison. Local authorities arranged for his temporary stay at a guesthouse in his hometown of Nanyang, Henan.
On September 25th, an informant, Chen Yifei, disclosed to Epoch Times that Jia Xin is currently residing at the Bishui Lake guesthouse in Yingzhuang Town, Nanyang City. Due to not yet having obtained identification documents, he has not purchased a mobile phone SIM card.
According to Chen Yifei, Jia Xin experienced harsh conditions and poor food in prison. He was forced to labor, developed a back disease, and became physically emaciated. Upon his release, he suffered from digestive issues, experiencing frequent diarrhea, but his mental state remained strong. While in prison, he wrote numerous letters to the outside world that were never sent out.
Since Jia Xin’s arrest in September 2022, he had been cut off from the outside world. Attempts by individuals to inquire about him at his family home were met with refusal.
The disappearance of Jia Xin drew significant attention from the public. In March 2026, Southern street movement activist Xie Wenfei initiated a campaign to locate Jia Xin across various online platforms, garnering widespread support and the endorsement of the New China Democratic Party in New York.
Jia Xin’s friend, Tan Lin, told Epoch Times that upon his release, Jia Xin had no money and relied on the help of friends. “We cannot let the warrior feel lonely; we hope the public pays attention to Jia Xin.”
Born in 1989 in Nanyang, Henan, Jia Xin is a prominent figure in the Southern street protest movement, advocating for political reforms such as “abolishing one-party dictatorship and establishing a democratic China.” He publicly displayed signs with messages like “Democracy, Freedom, Human Rights, Constitutionalism,” “Reject being represented; we want the vote,” and “Political parties are not equal to the country; the CCP does not represent the people.” Due to his long-standing efforts in advocating for democracy and human rights in China, he had been repeatedly arrested and detained by authorities.
In 2013, he participated in a human rights protest in Dongguan and was detained by the police, subsequently losing his job. On April 29, 2014, during an event commemorating Lin Zhao in Suzhou, Jia Xin, along with human rights activists Zhu Chengzhi, Li Xiaoling, and Ou Biaofeng, were detained by Suzhou police and later arrested by Guangdong police on charges of “provoking trouble.” Following his release, he continued his human rights advocacy, facing multiple expulsions by Guangzhou police and even forced returns to his hometown. On August 13, 2017, just before the 19th National Congress of the CCP, Jia Xin was forcibly sent back to Henan by Dongguan police.
On September 22, 2022, Jia Xin was arrested in Beihai, Guangxi by Henan police on charges of using VPN tools to access foreign social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. He was accused of disseminating “false” information on the internet.
On September 8, 2023, he was sentenced to four years in prison for “provoking trouble,” with his sentence running from September 22, 2022 to September 21, 2026.
(Interviewees’ names have been changed for anonymity)