Overseas “Wall Demolition Movement” leader Liu Dongling and her son are facing the imminent fate of being repatriated by the Danish government. Global democratic groups and individuals urgently appeal to the Danish government to reconsider the asylum case, in order to protect Liu Dongling and her 15-year-old son from political persecution by the Chinese Communist Party, and to ensure their basic human rights and freedom.
In 2023, Qiao Xinxin (real name Yang Zewei) and Liu Dongling initiated the “Wall Demolition Movement” against the Chinese internet censorship.
In May 2023, Qiao Xinxin, who resides in Laos, was illegally abducted back to China by Chinese special agents and arrested for “inciting subversion of state power.” Multiple sources indicate that Qiao Xinxin has been subjected to torture in a Hunan prison, has not been publicly tried to date, and has been deprived of his rights to legal counsel and communication. Currently, Qiao Xinxin’s whereabouts are unknown.
After Qiao Xinxin’s abduction, Liu Dongling took on the operation of the “Wall Demolition Movement.” Liu Dongling has repeatedly organized protests against the transnational suppression and persecution by the Chinese authorities to rescue Qiao Xinxin and others.
Given the persecution of Qiao Xinxin, overseas democracy advocates believe that the repatriation of Liu Dongling and her son to China would result in their illegal detention and pose a significant threat to their lives.
June 18 is a crucial day for the decision on whether Liu Dongling and her son may stay in Denmark. Overseas democracy advocates Wang Dan, Sheng Xue, and Jie Lijian jointly launched a petition to support, urging the Danish government to postpone the repatriation of Liu Dongling and her son and reconsider the political asylum case, protecting them from political persecution by the Chinese authorities and ensuring their basic human rights and freedom.
However, during the video conference on June 18, the Danish government ultimately rejected the asylum application of Liu Dongling and her son, who are now on the verge of being repatriated to China.
Sheng Xue, a democracy leader in Canada, told a reporter, “Yesterday, the Refugee Commission acknowledged that they had received new evidence, including testimony from human rights lawyers in China. There’s a high risk for her if she’s sent back, facing dangers like arrest, imprisonment, torture, etc.”
“Our advocacy efforts have been ongoing for two days. We’ve sent our support letter to the Danish Refugee Commission. Subsequently, we issued a public statement for a joint petition, demanding a reassessment of the decision regarding Liu Dongling. Despite new evidence proving the risk she faces if repatriated to China, the Danish Refugee Commission insists that she must return before she can reapply for asylum.”
Sheng Xue added, “If this translated content is accurate, we are considering lodging a complaint with the European Union because their stance violates the UN Refugee Protection principles.”
Jie Lijian, Executive Director of the Chinese Democratic Party Headquarters, said, “Liu Dongling is a petitioner in China who not only fights for herself but also for various groups’ rights. Her involvement in the ‘Wall Demolition Movement’ and ‘Evil Persons List’ abroad continues the challenges that the CCP fears the most.”
“In May 2023, Qiao Xinxin was internationally arrested in Laos by the Chinese authorities, a flagrant violation of international law and Laos’ sovereignty. This is because Qiao Xinxin crossed a red line with the CCP. As one of the initiators, Liu Dongling’s asylum case in Danish courts indicated no connection between Qiao Xinxin’s arrest and the ‘Wall Demolition Movement.’ Similarly, the judge believed that Liu Dongling would not face any persecution due to the movement.”
Jie Lijian noted, “‘Wall Demolition Movement’ and ‘Evil Persons List’ are clear evidence exposing CCP’s human rights violations, which deeply irk the CCP. The CCP suppresses the truth through internet censorship, spreading falsehoods. The lack of an opportunity to understand the truth has led to the current ruling on Liu Dongling.”
“Our common appeal is for the Danish government to review the asylum application, postpone the deportation, and safeguard the basic human rights and freedom of Liu Dongling and her son.”
Liu Dongling, originally from Zhengzhou, Henan Province, is a petitioner, democratic advocate, and the leader of the “Wall Demolition Movement.”
In late 2014, she began participating in local villagers’ protests and assisted in suing the Zhengzhou government.
Following the incident in 2016 where the demolition victim Fan Huapei was shot dead by police in Zhengzhou, Liu Dongling caught the authorities’ attention and became a heavily monitored individual.
After the 2017 case of Cao Chunsheng’s murder, she used Twitter to call for international media attention and faced persecution from the CCP.
In October 2018, she fled to Thailand with her child.
By late 2021, she received frequent calls from Chinese prosecutors concerning her case in China, leading her to feel fearful due to the numerous cross-border arrests by China in Thailand. In early 2022, she decided to apply for a tourist visa to Denmark, arriving in June of the same year to commence the political asylum process.
In September 2022, Liu Dongling joined the “One Person, One Push” campaign initiated by Wang Qingpeng to fight for the rights of political prisoners. She stated, “Because Chinese diplomats kept claiming that China is a safe and free country without political prisoners, I believed that by publicizing these political prisoners online would challenge the CCP.”
“In March 2023, Qiao Xinxin initiated the ‘Wall Demolition Movement,’ and I became one of the initiators. Shortly after, the CCP issued a notice for 40 web police nationwide to arrest individuals making illegal statements online. As a result, Qiao Xinxin revealed his identity in videos to encourage more people to join the ‘Wall Demolition Movement’ and hasten the dismantling of China’s censorship firewall.”
After Qiao Xinxin’s family faced repeated harassment by the Hunan authorities in China, Qiao Xinxin knew the impending dangers and issued a statement online stating he was not suicidal. Qiao Xinxin was arrested in a cross-border operation on May 31, 2023.
Following Qiao Xinxin’s arrest, Liu Dongling continued the work of the “Wall Demolition Movement” and produced uncensored YouTube videos. She also protested outside the Chinese Embassy in Denmark in support of Qiao Xinxin and gathered evidence against engineers and officials involved in China’s firewall establishment, including information on those oppressing Chinese political prisoners.
On July 15, 2023, police visited Liu Dongling’s brother’s home.
“At the immigration office interview, I mentioned this incident, but they claimed I had no evidence since no one dared to take pictures when the police came. Because the Danish government could not assess the risk upon my return to China, they ultimately rejected my asylum application.”
On June 18, the Danish government decided to repatriate Liu Dongling first, with the option for her to submit new evidence to apply for refugee status after returning to China. On June 19, there was a repatriation committee meeting, where she would lose her freedom until her return to China.
Liu Dongling expressed, “Many anti-CCP individuals internationally are advocating for me, and I am grateful. They all understand the risks I face due to my anti-CCP activities once back in China, possibly even risking my life.”
The petition has reached nearly 200 signatures in two days and is still ongoing.
Sheng Xue stated, “In the face of the brutal and evil CCP regime, we must stand united to prevent any of our comrades from suffering from additional CCP persecution. We will continue to push forward with rescue efforts for Liu Dongling, and I believe she will eventually receive the safety and protection she deserves.”