Chinese freelance columnist and political commentator Min Liangchen was arrested in April 2024 on charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.”
Before 2016, Min worked as an editor and commentator for local newspapers as the Zhengzhou Evening News and Dahe Daily. His writing often focused on Chinese politics and human rights, frequently advocating for democracy and freedom.
He continued writing opinion pieces on a freelance basis for both domestic and overseas media after retirement from newspapers, including his own commentary column in the Hong Kong-based online news outlet on.cc, an affiliate of Oriental Daily News.
In April 2024, Min was arrested by police in the Zhongyuan District in Zhengzhou, the capital of China’s central Henan province, in connection with nearly 300 articles he wrote in recent years for multiple online outlets. His case was later formally charged by the local district prosecutor and transferred to the court.
Min was not included in CPJ's 2024 prison census report because CPJ was not aware of his case at the time.
His trial began on April 23, 2025, at the Zhongyuan District People’s Court in Zhengzhou. A verdict had yet to be announced as of August 2025.
Min is being held at Zhengzhou’s No. 3 Detention Center.
In August 2025, CPJ sent an email to the city of Zhengzhou’s People’s Government seeking comment, but did not receive a response.