Jing Shuren to stand trial after 856 days in detention

Jing Shuren is scheduled to appear before the Lanzhou Chengguan District Court on July 20,

1. Since his criminal detention on March 16, 2024, he has spent 856 days in Lanzhou No. 1 Detention Centre.

The central dispute concerns the use of the offence of ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’. Prosecutors recommend seven years and six months in prison and a 50,000-yuan fine. The defence argues that repeated offending, gathering others and serious disruption of public order each require specific evidence; reposts and group-chat records alone cannot establish them.

Public records show that Jing took part in charitable donations, assisted people in distress and helped resolve public problems. Why a person once praised for civic engagement later faced a heavy sentence over expression and reposting is precisely what requires public scrutiny.