On September 20, at New York’s Times Square, known as the “Crossroads of the World,” a group of Chinese overseas democracy activists held a rally calling for international attention to the plight of Chinese political prisoner Niu Tengyu and his family. People of various ethnicities and tourists from around the world enthusiastically signed in support. Supporters plan to send the signatures back to China to present to the central inspection team, expressing international concerns to the authorities.
Zhang Yi, a member of the China Democracy Party, explained that Niu Tengyu was sentenced to 14 years in prison because he leaked personal information about Xi Jinping’s daughter on the internet. “This is a completely unjust and false case,” he said. He pointed out that the Chinese Communist Party’s police and national security agencies, in order to please top leaders like Xi Jinping, deliberately chose Niu Tengyu as a “scapegoat” and subjected him to torture in prison, resulting in his arm being disabled and his mental instability. “This is the cruelty and absurdity of the Chinese Communist Party.”
It is reported that Niu Tengyu’s father, while going to the Guangdong Higher People’s Court to seek justice, was severely beaten by someone impersonating a member of the inspection team, leading to his emergency hospitalization. This was his second violent attack.
During the event, Zhang Yi served as a translator, sharing with people from around the world the persecution that Niu Tengyu faced under the Chinese Communist Party, using his own experiences to illustrate how the CCP’s oppression of dissidents transcends borders. He used to work as a tour guide in Europe, traveling to nearly forty countries.
“I feel the fresh air of freedom in the free world, but back in my home country, it’s like invisible shackles,” Zhang Yi wrote on overseas websites criticizing the CCP, which led to police surveillance near his residence. “Cross-border surveillance by the CCP is a reality, but seeing those around me fearlessly standing up gives me courage.”
The overall coordinator of the event, China Democracy Party member Hao Fangfang, expressed that every overseas support rally could alleviate the pressure on Niu’s family in China. Niu Tengyu’s mother once expressed that without overseas support, the situation for her family in China would have been unimaginable.
Hao Fangfang continued, saying, “We want to tell them that the whole world remembers Niu Tengyu and will not forget all the political prisoners who have been punished for speaking out and persecuted.” She emphasized that such rallies are not just slogans but can effectively improve the situation of the individuals involved. Despite initial doubts about the effectiveness of support, Niu Tengyu’s mother’s gratitude convinced her that “our presence here is meaningful.”
“I doubt the authorities dare not release him because he has been so tortured that he’s unrecognizable, and his release would incite public outrage,” said An Qiang, assistant chairman of the China Democracy Party. He emphasized the need for overseas democracy advocates to speak out globally and make the world aware of what is happening in China.
Liu Daoying, a member of the China Democracy Party and currently a Chinese teacher at a school in New York, shared her journey from first hearing the truth about the Tiananmen Square massacre in church to leaving the country and deeply investigating history. Over the past decade in the United States, she has been voraciously reading materials to gradually understand the nature of the CCP regime. She admitted that it was a long awakening process—from history to reality, from learning the truth about the victory in the War of Resistance against Japan to uncovering the dark secrets of organ transplants, step by step breaking free from CCP indoctrination. She revealed, “Before my father passed away from cirrhosis, the doctor mentioned there was a liver source available. At that time, I didn’t understand, but now I realize how is it possible to have an organ so quickly? It reveals the bloody truth of live organ harvesting.”
Wu Xiaojuan arrived in the United States in 2023 with her father. Her father had awakened over a decade ago after contacting Qin Yongmin, a pro-democracy activist, on the Tianya forum, and continued to express his views online. Subsequently, his account was completely banned, and the police repeatedly pressured them, even asking her grandfather to persuade her father “not to talk nonsense.” She recalled, “Our family was often under surveillance and intimidation, with the police coming directly to the house and taking me and my mother to the community police station, detaining us overnight without any legal procedure.” These experiences made her and her family realize that there was no safety left in China, leaving them no choice but to flee. “We knew that this was the only path to freedom.”
Among the people supporting Niu Tengyu was Luo Yufeng, who now resides in New York City. She faced online harassment in mainland China for distributing “marriage recruitment flyers.” She shared her upbringing, the media’s portrayal of her “negative image,” and her current life and learning experience in the United States. She described her situation in China as a form of “social death,” which eventually led her to leave China in search of equality and freedom in America. Luo Yufeng admitted that life in America is not luxurious, but it offers a sense of freedom, living authentically. “Even as an older woman, I still dress vibrantly and enjoy makeup, as Americans appreciate the joy of life.”
The event attracted many individuals who voluntarily signed banners to express support for Niu Tengyu and Chinese democracy and freedom. An Qiang expressed that the scene was moving and confirmed the value and significance of support actions. He said, “Today’s event made me feel that fighting for democracy is not lonely; friends from around the world stand with us.”