Wu Gan (吴淦) — Media Profile & Archive
This archive gathers news reports, rights-group documents and official statements on Wu Gan (吴淦), the Fujian activist known as “Super Vulgar Butcher” (超级低俗屠夫). He was detained in May 2015, convicted of “subversion of state power” by a Tianjin court in December 2017, and released in May 2023 after an eight-year term. For his biography and case timeline, see Wu Gan — profile and case timeline.
Media items (chronological)
- 14 Aug 2017 — BBC News — “China’s ‘Super Vulgar Butcher’ Wu Gan goes on trial” (news). His closed trial in Tianjin after more than two years in detention, and the protest methods that made him known. https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-china-blog-40920495
- 26 Dec 2017 — Tianjin No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court (archived by China Digital Times) — “吴淦颠覆国家政权案一审公开宣判” (official). The court’s notice of conviction for “subversion of state power”, with 8 years’ imprisonment and 5 years’ deprivation of political rights. https://chinadigitaltimes.net/chinese/575474.html
- 26 Dec 2017 — The Guardian — “Chinese human rights activist jailed for eight years for subversion” (news). The harshest sentence of the crackdown so far; Wu vowed to appeal. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/26/chinese-human-rights-lawyer-jailed-for-eight-years-for-subversion
- 26 Dec 2017 — BBC News 中文 — “’709大抓捕’ ‘超级低俗屠夫’吴淦判囚8年” (news). His lawyer links the heavy sentence to Wu’s refusal to plead guilty. https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-42481806
- 26 Dec 2017 — Central News Agency (ROC/Taiwan) — “陸維權人士吳淦 顛覆國家政權判8年” (news). Summary of the court’s press release. https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/201712260046.aspx
- 27–29 Dec 2017 — US and German embassies in Beijing, joint statement (full text via GPIL, University of Bonn) (official). The embassies call for Wu’s immediate release; the PRC Foreign Ministry calls this interference. https://gpil.jura.uni-bonn.de/2017/12/china-denounces-german-interference-internal-affairs/
- 28 Dec 2017 — VOA / Associated Press — “China Criticizes US, German Embassies for ‘Interference’” (news). Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying responds. https://www.voanews.com/a/chinna-criticizes-us-and-german-embassies-for-interference/4182552.html
- 18 Jan 2018 — European Parliament — Resolution P8_TA(2018)0014 (official). Calls for Wu Gan’s immediate and unconditional release. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-8-2018-0014_EN.html
- 19 Apr 2018 — Amnesty International — “Chinese activist 8 year sentence upheld” (report). The Tianjin High People’s Court rejected his appeal on 17 April 2018. https://www.amnesty.org/zh-hant/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ASA1782482018ENGLISH.pdf
- 2018 — PRC Government reply to UN experts (AL CHN 3/2018) (official). The government’s defence of the verdict to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and three Special Rapporteurs. https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=34016
- 14 Feb 2019 — Independent Chinese PEN Center — “199. WU GAN” (report). Case record of an ICPC honorary member. https://www.chinesepen.org/english/199-wu-gan
- 18 May 2023 — RFA Mandarin — “谢阳时隔十月终见代理律师 吴淦刑满获释” (news). Released after his full term; his father describes surveillance. https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/tj-05182023124210.html
- 19 May 2023 — VOA Chinese — “维权人士’屠夫’吴淦被中共释放 父亲表示老家已被监控” (news). He returns to Xiamen; police cameras and patrols near the family home. https://www.voachinese.com/a/china-human-rights-activist-wu-gan-released-20230519/7100138.html
- 19 May 2023 — Central News Agency (ROC/Taiwan) — “維權人士吳淦8年刑滿出獄 歷經酷刑不妥協” (news). Release report with a recap of the torture allegations. https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202305190043.aspx
- 23 Jun 2023 — China Digital Times — “Translation: ‘Eight Years in Prison Hasn’t Frightened Me; It Has Only Made Me Stronger’” (news / first-person letter). Wu on his health, his family and life under deprivation of political rights. https://chinadigitaltimes.net/2023/06/translation-eight-years-in-prison-hasnt-frightened-me-it-has-only-made-me-stronger/
- 27 Jun 2023 — Dui Hua Foundation — “Prisoner Updates 2023 #7” (report). Confirms his release and the supplementary five-year deprivation of political rights. https://duihua.org/prisoner-updates-2023-7/
- 7 Jul 2025 — Amnesty International and partners — “Chinese government impunity for crackdown on lawyers fuels decade of repression” (report). On the 709 tenth anniversary; Wu’s sentence was the longest prison term of the crackdown. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/07/chinese-government-impunity-for-crackdown-on-lawyers-fuels-decade-of-repression/
- 9 Jul 2025 — Human Rights in China — “10 Years After the 709 Crackdown, Lawyers Face Ongoing Repression” (report). Wu remains under deprivation of political rights. https://news.hrichina.org/p/10-years-after-the-709-crackdown
Sources
The links above, plus the Chinese Human Rights Defenders case profile: https://www.nchrd.org/2016/03/wu-gan/