Chinese Human Rights Defender Dies in Xinjiang Prison Months Before Release

On Sept. 22, Chinese human rights defender Shi Tingfu died in prison, less than four months before he was due to complete a three-year sentence, according to his family. Shi’s son received a call from Shahe Prison in Xinjiang at around 10:30 p.m. informing him that his father had died at approximately 5 p.m. that afternoon after suffering what prison officials described as a heart attack. His body had already been transferred to a funeral home, according to the Rights Defense Network.

The family said Shi’s son had visited him not long before his death and believed he appeared to be in relatively stable condition. Shi had not complained of any discomfort or illness during the visit.

As of Sept. 23, no public death certificate, autopsy findings, hospital records, or independent medical assessment had been released. The reported heart attack therefore remains the cause of death given orally by prison authorities rather than an independently confirmed finding.

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Suspicious timing

Shi had been scheduled for release on Jan. 14, 2027, leaving roughly 114 days on his sentence when he died. He was first detained on Jan. 15, 2024, after helping fruit growers in Xinjiang’s Aksu region send petition materials documenting their grievances over local authorities and seek help from overseas.

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Authorities later convicted him of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” a broadly worded offense frequently used in cases involving activists and dissidents, and sentenced him to three years in prison. He was then transferred in October 2024 to Shahe Prison, operated by the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps’ First Division.

Shi was also named a recipient of the 2025 Cao Shunli Memorial Award for Human Rights Defenders. Xinjiang has faced intense international scrutiny over the Chinese government’s treatment of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities. The United Nations has documented large-scale arbitrary detention, torture, forced labor, sexual violence, and other abuses in the region, concluding that some may constitute crimes against humanity.

The U.S. government has gone further, formally describing Beijing’s actions in Xinjiang as genocide and crimes against humanity. Beijing rejects those characterizations and says its policies are aimed at counterterrorism, vocational training, and economic development.

Earlier warnings

Though Shi’s family said he appeared relatively well during a recent visit, rights groups and international organizations had documented concerns about his health during detention. Family members previously said he suffered from hypertension, pneumonia, asthma, and other illnesses.

In April 2025, Shi reportedly told his son by phone that he felt weak every day and asked relatives and friends to send letters and postcards for emotional support. Earlier reports claim that while held at a detention center in Alar, Shi was not given enough food, lost considerable weight, and appeared physically and mentally weakened. His condition had not fully recovered after his transfer to prison.

Chinese Human Rights Defenders said Shi’s death has renewed concerns over access to adequate medical care in detention. The organization noted that it had recently documented denial of medical treatment as a recurring form of abuse in cases involving detained activists.

Years of activism and detention

Born in Nanjing in 1959, Shi worked at a local radio-component factory before becoming involved in petitioning and rights advocacy. He supported the 1989 pro-democracy movement and later became known for public demonstrations, support for other activists, and commemorations of the June 4 Tiananmen crackdown in Beijing.

In 2017, Shi was detained after wearing clothing bearing the words “Never Forget June Fourth” outside the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall and posting a speech commemorating the anniversary online. He was later convicted of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and received a one-year prison sentence suspended for 18 months.