Shandong Zibo Song Yequan and Song Yeguo brothers were sentenced to 7 and 10 years in prison respectively for extortion and extortion at the Zichuan District Court in Zibo for 1.8 million relocation compensation. Their families insisted on their innocence and appealed. On July 22, discussions labeled as “Villagers sentenced to 10 years for turning 1.8 million relocation compensation into extortion” and “Relatives of the extortion incident involving relocation compensation speak out” sparked online attention.
According to a report by Dahe News on July 22, in 1998, during the reconstruction of Xishan Village in Zibo, Shandong, the old houses of the Song brothers were demolished. The Song brothers claimed that they did not sign a relocation agreement before their houses were demolished. Afterwards, the village issued a certificate and provided the Song family with more than 4,000 yuan in compensation. However, the Song brothers believed that the compensation area did not match the actual size, as it was missing more than 130 square meters, and the compensation only covered the above-ground buildings, not the use rights of the homestead, so they had been reporting the situation to relevant departments for many years.
On October 31, 2020, the Song brothers signed a “Homestead Compensation Agreement” with Song, who was then the secretary of the Xishan Village Party Branch in Chengnan Town, Zichuan District, Zibo, and received 1.8 million yuan. The Song brothers believed this was a “belated relocation compensation.”
A reporter from Dahe News learned that Song, the village party branch secretary, had been reported by more than three hundred villagers of Xishan Village for embezzling collective enterprises. The Song brothers also signed the report. In 2021, Song was investigated for serious violations of discipline. On August 16, 2021, Song was expelled from the party.
In 2023, Song reported being extorted, and the Song brothers were taken away for investigation. In the same year, in August, the police initiated a criminal investigation into the suspected “provocation and troublemaking offense;” in September, the Song brothers were criminally detained and later arrested and detained at the Zichuan District Detention Center in Zibo.
In January 2025, the prosecuting authority changed the indictment decision, modifying the charges to “extortion.” On June 24, 2025, the Zichuan District Court in Zibo, Shandong Province issued a first-instance verdict, finding Song Yequan and Song Yeguo guilty of extortion and sentencing them to 7 and 10 years respectively. Currently, the two brothers have appealed the decision.
The verdict showed that since 2019, the Song brothers had been petitioning various departments regarding homestead issues and had reported Song, the former village secretary, for illegal and disciplinary actions such as embezzlement of collective property. Song claimed that the 1.8 million yuan was paid under duress, stating, “At that time, they tortured me mentally to the point where I couldn’t bear it, fearing that they would report me everywhere, so I had no choice but to agree.”
This case immediately attracted online attention.
Netizens said, “If they had already signed a homestead compensation agreement, how did it become extortion and blackmail?”
“I specifically looked up the definition of extortion, which involves using threats or coercion to instill fear in the other party, leading to illegal possession of the other party’s property. I want to ask, what methods did this Song brothers use to instill fear in the village branch?”
Current affairs blogger and Weibo influencer “Yu Xiaopan” posted, saying, “Giving money and then refusing, what kind of situation is this? The 1998 relocation account was not settled, and the common people have been seeking justice for over 20 years. In 2020, the village secretary himself signed a compensation agreement and gave 1.8 million yuan, and now turns around to say it was extortion. Where were they all these years? Is the agreement worthless? The area that was underpaid, the homestead that was omitted from compensation, these accounts weren’t settled clearly. Instead of giving the people what they deserved, they first slapped them with a ‘blackmail’ label, this operation is too bewildering.
“‘Safeguarding rights equals threats?’ Who would dare to speak up in the future? Reporting issues, exposing officials, isn’t this a legitimate right? Just because someone spoke the truth, reached out to higher-ups, and finally negotiated to get money, it’s labeled as ‘extortion through reporting threats.’ Following this logic, in the future, can’t people speak up against injustices? Who can bear a ten-year sentence? The relocation compensation negotiation failed, and in the end, after bargaining to receive money, one gets sentenced to seven years, and the other to ten years. Once this verdict is out, who would dare to confront the village for their rights? If fighting for what’s rightfully theirs can end up being labeled as ‘extortion,’ who can bear that risk? Are the laws meant to protect people or scare them?”
Weibo influencer and lawyer “Cai Yaqi Criminal Law” posted, “Without knowing the full picture, I dare not make a judgment. One thing is certain: extortion and blackmail are also fallback charges, and many legitimate rights defenders have been sentenced for provocation and troublemaking or extortion.”
Lawyer at Beijing Zhongwen (Haikou) Law Firm, “Du Jiaqian,” posted, “The People’s Procuratorate of Zibo City gives people a pretty bad experience: I traveled a long distance to Zibo to handle the case of Song Yequan’s alleged extortion and blackmail. I wanted to inquire which prosecutor was handling the case at the gate, but the security guard said we needed to contact the case management office by phone. As an out-of-towner, how would I have that phone number? So, I asked for assistance in contacting them, but he refused. I asked, ‘Then what should I do?’ I came all the way here, and he said I could go to the case processing office, and they could help contact them, but then he said it was Tuesday afternoon, and the office was closed, so I had to wait until tomorrow. I want to ask Mr. Wang Xiaoyu, the prosecutor of Zibo City People’s Procuratorate, is this the regulation of Zibo City Procuratorate? If it is, isn’t it too rigid and lacking in human touch? You can’t inconvenience out-of-town lawyers for the sake of your own convenience, right?”