Yang Liwei, who was sentenced for his words in China, has been released after serving two and a half years in prison. Recently, he fled China and was detained by customs upon entering Jeju Island, South Korea. He has appealed to the Korean government to grant him asylum and not to deport him back to China, fearing being thrown back into the clutches of the Chinese Communist Party.
Yang Liwei, from Yanshi Chengguan Town, Henan Province, was detained by the Chinese authorities in July 2018 for posting or reposting tweets on social media platforms in mainland China. In March 2020, he was sentenced to two years and six months in prison for “subverting state power” and was released on January 23, 2021 after serving his sentence.
On April 12, 2024, Yang Liwei escaped from China and arrived in Jeju Island, South Korea, where he is currently being held by Korean customs.
In an interview with Epoch Times, Yang Liwei said, “When I was in the second year of junior high school, my political science teacher told us in class not to trust the Communist Party. Since then, I have harbored a strong aversion towards the Communist Party. After graduating from school, I entered society and started doing business, interacting with the Communist Party’s lackeys at the grassroots level, witnessing the many dark secrets within the Party. I became increasingly disgusted with the Communist Party and communism, which solidified my determination to pursue democracy and freedom.”
“In 1998, I bought my first computer, which exposed me to a wider array of information on the internet, allowing me to see through the true nature of the Communist Party. I began writing articles and reposting blogs on various forums and platforms, exposing the lies of the Communist Party and speaking the truth. My presence could be found on major Chinese platforms such as QQ groups, WeChat groups, Douyin, and various social media platforms, where I was repeatedly banned and censored.”
“I do not regret or fear being arrested and sentenced, as my belief is to eradicate communism for China’s future, ensuring that our descendants are no longer deceived, harmed, or enslaved. I will continue on this path,” Yang Liwei declared. “Even thinking about those who have persecuted us and their offspring, I can’t help but feel pity for them.”
Yang Liwei showed reporters a criminal judgment from the Intermediate People’s Court of Luoyang, Henan Province, which accused him of “disseminating a large amount of insulting and attacking remarks against party and state leaders, attacking the political system of the (Communist) state, inciting subversion of state power, and advocating the overthrow of the socialist system.”
Yang Liwei stated that he does not acknowledge the behaviors of “insulting,” “attacking,” “inciting,” and “overthrowing” mentioned in the judgment. He argued that he merely spoke the truth about some social events and his own perspectives on the internet, without engaging in attacks, insults, or having the capacity to overthrow anyone. He insisted that the behaviors determined by the judgment were imposed by the Communist Party, and he was simply “sentenced for his words.”
During his imprisonment, Yang Liwei refused to confess and resisted forced labor, leading to his continuous shackling to a window sill for over a month. He underwent various forms of torture and abuse from the detention center to the prison, including having his rib broken and sustaining severe damage to his lumbar vertebrae. He underwent surgery last year to replace a lumbar disc, with metal screws now fixing his spine.
On January 23, 2021, Yang Liwei was released from Yuxi Prison in Henan Province after serving his sentence. On April 2, 2024, he flew from Zhengzhou, Henan to Jeju Island, South Korea, where he was detained by customs upon entry and subsequently applied for political asylum. Yang Liwei urged netizens to pay attention to his situation.
After arriving on Jeju Island, Yang Liwei posted three tweets on the overseas social media platform X:
“For the first time, I have tasted a bit of freedom here. There is completely free internet without any restrictions. In comparison to China’s so-called ‘internet,’ which is like a walled garden, the rest of the world truly feels like heaven and hell. Finally, I can use my real name and profile picture without worrying about being targeted or sentenced.”
“Under the rule of the Communist Party, everyone lacks a sense of security, especially those who strive for freedom, fairness, and justice, living in constant fear. The Communist Party, an evil terrorist organization, creates various disasters in China and spreads communist values, which are anti-human, poisoning the entire world. This global cancer must be eradicated; otherwise, the world will never have peace.”
“I urge my followers to urgently pay attention. When I flew from Zhengzhou, China to Jeju Island and went through immigration, I was locked in a dark room. I am preparing to apply for political asylum with Korean customs. I was previously sentenced to two years and six months in prison for ‘inciting subversion of state power,’ and if I am deported this time, it will surely not end well. Please help spread the message. I have set foot on the land of freedom and do not want to be thrown back into a cage.”
Twitter user @LUOXIANGZY tweeted in response, “I hope the Korean government accepts Mr. Yang Liwei’s entry request!”
User @linyangzhe97889 said, “Korean customs should allow Yang Liwei to pass immediately after verification! The Chinese Communist Party is extremely brutal towards anyone seeking help abroad. If he is deported to China, he will face another round of imprisonment or even more severe torture!”
During the interview, reporters learned that Yang Liwei’s escape from China was fraught with obstacles and danger. After purchasing a flight ticket to South Korea, local police immediately called him, stating they knew he had bought a ticket to leave the country and asked him to report to the local police station.
At the station, police asked Yang Liwei to fill out a “risk investigation form for outbound personnel” and obtain a stamp from the community. However, the community workers refused to stamp his form, claiming that the service was unavailable. Yang Liwei returned to the police station, where the officers informed him, “You’ve been sentenced before, so you can’t leave the country.” Subsequently, Yang Liwei tore up the form and declared he wouldn’t leave if they didn’t allow him to.
Reflecting on that moment, Yang Liwei said, “I thought about it then and decided to take a risk since my ticket couldn’t be refunded anyway. I tore up the form in front of them to make them think I wasn’t leaving, afraid they might alert customs, which would have been disastrous. Luckily, they probably thought I wouldn’t leave. The process at customs went smoothly, and even as I boarded the plane, my heart was in my throat, but I made it out.”
He explained his choice of fleeing to South Korea, “I didn’t have much money, and the ticket to Jeju Island was the cheapest. It is also a democratic country, albeit challenging to seek asylum, it provides refuge. I hope, by fleeing to South Korea, I can trust the Korean government and believe in the radiance of democracy.”
On April 16, South Korean customs officials had completed their conversation with Yang Liwei, informing him that a decision would be made in two days.
The fate of Yang Liwei in South Korea continues to be monitored by Epoch Times reporters.