He was arrested in late March 2011, shortly after the start of the 2011 Chinese pro-democracy protests, on charges of "inciting subversion of state power".

He was baptized by Pastor Wang Yi at Early Rain Covenant Church,[3] and has been attending a Bible study since 2013.

After graduating from Sichuan University, where he studied Chinese literature, in 1987, he was engaged in supporting the students who participated in the Tiananmen Square Protests.

In the backdrop of the 2011 Chinese pro-democracy protests, Ran was summoned to "tea" by public security on the morning of 20 February 2011 and detained.

On 24 February 2011, he was officially detained for "subversion of state power", according to a formal detention notice received by his wife.