Wife of doctor who denounced SARS, and 'internet dissident' released
Beijing (AsiaNews/ SCMP) In the past few days, the wife of the doctor who first announced the SARS explosion last year- who suddenly disappeared some weeks ago- and an internet dissident arrested a year ago, have been freed.
On Tuesday June 14, the wife of Dr. Jiang Yangong returned home around 8 in the evening, without her husband, who is still being detained in an unknown location. Dr. Jiang was arrested June 1st, a few days bifore the 15th anniversari of the Tiananmen square massacre. Last February the doctor wrote to the Party, asking a revision of the students' democratic movement, that Beijing continues to define as "counterrevolutionary."
Jiang Rui, daughter of the 72-year old couple, stated that her mother "appears in good physical condition, but she does not want to give specific information about what happened to her and my father during the past two weeks." Mrs. Yangong holds that her husband will be released, but she does not know when.
Friday June 11th saw the release of web-surfer Du Daobin, 40, who was sentenced to three years of prison on charges that he slandered and subverted state power. He had published 26 articles on the internet, 3 of which criticized Article 23 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong. The news of Du's censorship mobilized a strong movement within and outside China. Many students petitioned Premier Wen Jiabao, asking for the release of the 'cybernaut', whose sentence was suspended for four years. According to Professor Wang, teacher at the University of Chengdu, the authorities decided to release Du to "save face". (MR)
04/06/2008