On October 30, Guo Xingmei, a resident affected by resettlement in Chongqing, was sentenced to three years in prison for “provocation and troublemaking” due to her advocacy on the internet and with overseas media.
Chongqing petitioner Zhao Liang told Epoch Times, “In the court, judgments are not based on the law but on the ‘higher-ups’’ decisions to determine whether the suspect is guilty. What’s even more outrageous is that torture to extract confessions is common practice, with various cruel fascist punishments being frequently used. People live in such injustice and fear for a long time, it’s unbearable!”
The sentencing of Guo Xingmei’s case was announced at 2:30 pm on October 30 in the San Courtroom of Yubei District Court in Chongqing, with nearly twenty petitioners from Chongqing attending to offer support. Despite there being over forty seats for observers, the court only provided two seats for Guo Xingmei’s friends.
At around 2:28 pm, two female police officers escorted a handcuffed and shackled Guo Xingmei into the courtroom. Petitioners Zhao Liang, Lai Benfu, and Zhong Rongyuan, standing by the aisle, shouted loudly, “Guo Xingmei, hang in there, be strong. Many of your friends are here today, blocked from entering the courtroom…”
Petitioners Peng Qun and Wang Lincang managed to secure observer seats. Peng Qun told Epoch Times, “When Sister Guo was escorted into the courtroom by the two police officers, I could hardly recognize her. She walked unsteadily, with a frail figure, every step seemed like a struggle with the ground. The clinking sound from the shackles and handcuffs on her wrists and ankles was dull and chilling.”
“This is not a trial but a deliberate torture of a weak person! When she sat down, her body trembled slightly, but she forced herself to straighten her back, her gaze empty and heartbreaking. Tears streamed down my face.”
The judge read the verdict in court, accusing Guo Xingmei of continuously petitioning since 2018 due to resettlement issues, making “improper remarks” online, and even publicizing them with overseas media, severely endangering social stability… Sentenced to three years in prison for “provocation and troublemaking.”
Peng Qun said, “After the trial, I couldn’t calm down for a long time. What I witnessed firsthand was not a fair trial but a meticulously planned humiliation. A common woman who spoke out against resettlement issues and fought for rights was labeled as ‘endangering social stability,’ put in shackles, and judged.”
“She should have had the right to defend herself, the right to let her son speak in court, the right to a fair treatment. But all of this was brutally stripped away.”
“This is not just Sister Guo’s tragedy but the tragedy of our entire society,” Peng Qun said. “A true rule of law society is not about silencing the weak or shackling those who speak out. It should be fair, inclusive, allowing every citizen to stand tall before the law.”
Ms. Guo, a petitioner, said, “Through the trial of the Guo Xingmei case, the people deeply feel the deficiency of the rule of law, the suffering of the people. The entire trial process, called public trial, actually gave the sense of covering up the truth, making it more obvious. When will judicial darkness end?”
In 2003, the local government forcibly expropriated the land and house of Guo Xingmei’s family without land acquisition approval, leading her onto a long and arduous path of seeking justice. Over the years, she actively participated in various rights defense activities, including posting on the Internet, expressing rights demands and calls for freedom of speech.
On May 20, 2024, during a citizen’s dinner, Guo Xingmei shouted slogans celebrating the inauguration of Lai Ching-te (President of Taiwan in 2024).
On June 28, 2024, Guo Xingmei was suddenly detained by the police in Shapingba District, Chongqing, on charges of “provocation and troublemaking.”
On August 3, 2024, Guo Xingmei was formally arrested by the Shapingba District police and prosecuted on November 2 of the same year, extending the scrutiny period three times.
On October 30, 2025, Guo Xingmei was sentenced to three years in prison.
Chongqing petitioner Zhao Liang also rushed to Yubei District Court, prepared to attend Guo’s trial but was blocked from entering by several staff members from the Jumps Village Street Office, Dadukou District, Chongqing, at the courthouse entrance.
Zhao Liang provided two photos taken outside the court to the reporter. He said that the person in the blue jacket in the photos was from the Jumps Village Street Office, who had assaulted him.
He recounted his experience to Epoch Times reporters. He said that in September 2021, the person in the blue jacket in his residential building assaulted him, causing a severe injury to his left calf that required 45 stitches in the hospital, making him unable to crouch down. Although he reported to the police at the time, the person has not faced legal action to this day.
Zhao Liang stated, “The power game is shrouded in corrupt darkness. Officials at all levels are driven by private desires, corruption and bribery are rampant, completely disregarding the interests of the people, and arrogantly oppressing the citizens. The judiciary should be the last line of defense to safeguard social fairness and justice, but here, it has become a plaything for the privileged.”