We are two citizen journalists residing in mainland China, and we have conducted interviews with nine colleagues and friends of Yu Wensheng and Xu Yan for this article. Through their recollections, we gradually formed a general understanding of the experiences of Yu Wensheng and Xu Yan. To maintain anonymity for our safety, we will refer to ourselves as He Randong and Cheng Wanqiu in this article.

On the eighth anniversary of the "709 Crackdown," Human Rights in China (HRIC) takes this opportunity to express our deep admiration for the women who have bravely resisted the suppression of authorities and demonstrated remarkable strength and determination. These outstanding women are defenders of human rights in China.