Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged China to immediately release Tibetan rights advocate Zhang Yadi. The 22-year-old student is facing serious charges which could extend her prison time for a long.
“Yadi is charged under Article 103(2) of China's Criminal Law, which accuses her of 'inciting others to split the country and undermine national unity,” states the HRW. Yadi was arrested in 2021 when she returned to China during her summer break, as she was completing her studies in France as an international student.
She was arrested on July 31, 2025, in Shangri-La, located in Yunnan province, and is currently believed to be detained in her hometown of Changsha City, Hunan province.
What happens if Yadi is found guilty?
In this case, Yadi could get a sentence of 5 years or as long as 15 years if labelled a ringleader.
HRW researcher Yalkun Uluyol voiced serious concerns about the case, stating that Chinese authorities appear ready to imprison a young student-activist for peacefully expressing opposition to racial injustice, a stance embraced by many young people globally.
As further highlighted by HRW, Yadi was an editor of a digital platform that advocates for Tibetan rights and promotes interethnic dialogue in the Chinese language. She is also part of a group called Chinese Youth Stand for Tibet. This group was formed after the 2022 White Paper Protests against China's Zero-COVID policy, and is known for publishing content aimed at confronting ethnic prejudice and presenting Tibetan viewpoints.
Human Rights Watch demanded that Zhang be released immediately so she can return to her studies and urged the French and British governments to bring up Zhang's case with Beijing, highlighting concerns about freedom of expression.
Yadi’s legal rights have not been fully upheld, says HRW. Meanwhile, known human rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong, who attempted to provide legal aid to her family, was briefly detained and reportedly had his phone confiscated.
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