China Democratic Party member Zou Wei and independent writer Zan Aizong have been formally charged with the crime of “provoking troubles” by the Hangzhou Municipal Procuratorate in China. The two have been detained for over a year and the case was officially transferred to the court for trial in mid-July. It is reported that both individuals have refused to plead guilty.
On July 13, 2024, Zou Wei, Zan Aizong, and five other democratic activists in Zhejiang province held a rights protection activity at the mouth of the Qiantang River in Haining, uploading photos from the scene online. In the early hours of the following day, the Hangzhou National Security Bureau conducted a crackdown, arresting six out of the seven participants. Apart from Zou Wei and Zan Aizong being criminally detained, the others were released after being admonished by the police.
On July 20, 2024, the Gongshu Branch of the Hangzhou Public Security Bureau opened a case against Zou Wei and Zan Aizong for the charge of “provoking troubles.” By late August of the same year, both individuals were formally arrested and have been detained ever since, for a period of one year. In July 2025, the Procuratorate filed a public prosecution and transferred the case to the court, indicating that the two would soon face trial.
An informant revealed to a reporter from Dajiyuan on July 22 that Zou Wei and Zan Aizong are currently detained at the Banshan Detention Center in Gongshu District, Hangzhou. Lawyers have met with the detainees and provided them with daily necessities. According to the lawyers, both individuals firmly deny any illegal activities and reject the charges brought by the prosecution. The informant stated, “The lawyers hired by the families have met with them separately. Both individuals appear visibly thinner but in acceptable physical condition.”
Zou Wei, born in 1968 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, is a member of the Zhejiang Committee of China Democratic Party, actively involved in advocating for democracy and human rights. He has been summoned and detained multiple times for his public speeches or support for dissidents.
Zan Aizong, born in 1969 in Taihe, Anhui, currently residing in Hangzhou, is a member of the Independent Chinese PEN Center, a former reporter for China Ocean News stationed in Hangzhou, and a columnist for Sina.com. In 2006, he was awarded the Lin Zhao Memorial Prize. He has long been focused on religious freedom and human rights issues in mainland China and has been subjected to surveillance by the national security or restrictions on personal freedom for his critical remarks.
Human rights groups in China and international organizations like PEN International have expressed grave concerns over this case, urging the authorities to respect the freedoms of speech and assembly guaranteed by the Chinese Constitution.
A lawyer surnamed Li, who chose to remain anonymous, stated in an interview with Dajiyuan, “The charge of ‘provoking troubles’ is a vague offense that has been frequently used in recent years to suppress dissenting voices, making it one of the most controversial articles in Chinese criminal law.”
She explained, “A lawyer in Hangzhou once openly called for the abolishment of the crime of ‘provoking troubles’ and subsequently had their license revoked for a year. Nowadays, many petitioners, rights activists, or dissidents are being charged with ‘provoking troubles’ or ‘inciting subversion of state power.’ I am talking to your media now and might also be accused by the national security as ‘provoking troubles.'”
Apart from Zou Wei and Zan Aizong, another China Democratic Party member, Xu Guang, is currently serving a sentence in Zhejiang. Born in 1968, Xu Guang was one of the student leaders at Hangzhou University during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. Arrested in 2022 for “provoking troubles,” he was sentenced to four years in prison in April 2024 and is currently detained at the Hangzhou Beijiao Prison. Due to his long-term hunger strike protest, his weight has dropped to less than 40 kilograms, and both the visiting rights of his lawyers and family members have been restricted, drawing international attention.
Various human rights organizations continue to monitor these cases and call on the Chinese Communist authorities to respect the fundamental rights guaranteed by their Constitution, urging them to cease using criminal means to suppress peaceful expressions and dissenting activities.