Colorado University PHD Student Disappeared in China Two Years Ago
Read the Chinese version below / 后附中文版。
NEW YORK, June 15, 2026 — Human Rights in China (HRIC) is deeply concerned about the ongoing disappearance of internet censorship researcher Yiyan Wang (also known as Gaukas Wang) and calls on the Chinese government to immediately disclose his whereabouts and current status, and to ensure his personal safety and fundamental rights.
According to publicly available information, Yiyan Wang is a cybersecurity researcher and open-source contributor who has long focused on internet censorship, firewall technologies, and censorship circumvention tools. He moved to the United States in 2018 to study at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2021, graduating summa cum laude. He subsequently continued his graduate studies at the university under the supervision of renowned internet censorship researcher Eric Wustrow.
Wang was an active member of the international open-source community. He has stated that since 2017, he has worked to develop technologies designed to help users circumvent internet censorship. On the homepage of his personal website, he prominently displays a well-known phrase from the early history of the Chinese internet:
“Across the Great Wall we can reach every corner in the world.” (跨越长城，走向世界)
The phrase originated from China’s first international email connection in 1987 and symbolizes the ideals of an open internet, free communication, and global connectivity. It also reflects Wang’s long-standing commitment to information freedom and an open internet.
Wang’s research focused on the Great Firewall of China, internet censorship measurement, censorship circumvention technologies, and the analysis of censorship and blocking mechanisms. Through academic collaborations and open-source projects, he has contributed to a broader understanding of how internet censorship operates and affects access to information.
According to friends and colleagues, Wang returned to China in the summer of 2024. Shortly thereafter, contact with him ceased. Since July 2024, his whereabouts have been unknown, and he has not been reachable through his usual public channels. His current situation remains unclear.
HRIC is unable to independently verify the reasons for Wang’s disappearance. However, given the Chinese government’s long record of targeting human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, scholars, and individuals working on politically sensitive issues, we are deeply concerned for his safety and well-being.
HRIC calls on:
The Chinese government to immediately disclose Yiyan Wang’s whereabouts and legal status;
The Chinese government or relevant authorities to permit contact with his family and legal counsel if he is being deprived of his liberty;
The Chinese government to respect his rights to personal liberty, academic freedom, and freedom of expression;
The international academic community, cybersecurity researchers, open-source developers, and human rights organizations to closely monitor his case;
Anyone with information regarding Yiyan Wang’s situation or whereabouts to contact Human Rights in China so that his case can be further documented and effective international support efforts can be pursued.
Internet freedom and academic research should never be grounds for punishment. We urge the Chinese government to ensure Yiyan Wang’s safety and to provide information about his condition and whereabouts without delay.
HRIC also welcomes any information concerning Yiyan Wang, including details about his current situation, legal status, or other verifiable leads. Any such information may help clarify his circumstances and support international efforts to advocate on his behalf.
Signed,
Human Rights in China (HRIC)
June 2026
中国人权呼吁关注失联网络审查研究者王一言（Gaukas Wang）
纽约，2026年6月 — 中国人权（Human Rights in China, HRIC）对网络审查研究者王一言（Yiyan Wang，又名 Gaukas Wang）持续失联深表关切，并呼吁中国政府立即说明其下落和现状，保障其人身安全和基本权利。
根据公开资料，王一言是一位网络安全研究者和开源社区贡献者，长期从事中国互联网审查、防火墙技术以及反审查工具的研究。他于2018年前往美国，就读于科罗拉多大学博尔德分校（University of Colorado Boulder），并于2021年以最高荣誉（summa cum laude）获得电子与计算机工程学士学位。此后，他继续在该校攻读硕士和博士学位，师从网络审查研究专家 Eric Wustrow。
王一言长期活跃于国际开源社区。他曾表示，自2017年以来一直致力于开发帮助用户突破互联网审查的技术工具。在其个人主页首页，他引用了一句中国互联网发展史上的著名话语：
“Across the Great Wall we can reach every corner in the world.”（跨越长城，走向世界。）
这句话诞生于1987年中国与国际互联网建立首次电子邮件连接的历史时刻，象征着开放互联网、自由交流与连接世界的理想，也体现了他长期关注信息自由与开放网络的理念。
王一言的研究重点包括中国防火墙（Great Firewall）、网络审查测量、翻墙协议分析以及审查规避技术。他参与国际学术合作和开源项目，为理解互联网审查机制及其影响作出了重要贡献。
据朋友和同行反映，王一言于2024年夏季返回中国。此后不久，他与外界失去联系。自2024年7月以来，外界无法确认其行踪，也无法通过其惯常渠道与其取得联系。迄今其具体处境仍然不明。
中国人权目前无法独立核实王一言失联的原因。然而，鉴于中国政府长期以来对人权捍卫者、记者、律师、学者以及从事敏感议题研究人员的打压记录，我们对其安全状况深感担忧。
中国人权呼吁：
中国政府立即说明王一言的下落和法律状态；
如其被限制人身自由，应允许其与家属和律师联系；
保障其人身自由、学术研究自由和表达自由；
国际学术界、网络安全研究界、开源社区和人权组织持续关注王一言案件；
欢迎任何了解王一言近况或掌握相关信息的人士与中国人权联系，以便核实情况、推动国际社会关注并开展有效声援。
互联网自由和学术研究不应成为被惩罚的理由。我们呼吁中国政府保障王一言的人身安全，并尽快让外界获知其真实情况。
中国人权同时欢迎任何知情人士提供与王一言有关的信息，包括其近况、法律状态或其他可核实线索。任何信息都可能有助于外界了解其处境，并推动国际社会采取行动予以关注和声援。
Human Rights in China（中国人权）
2026年6月
可以猜测，他github上的项目主页直接写明了be water作为口号，很容易被当局认定为政治立场上支持反修例运动。