Chinese police claim activist broke his own neck
Chinese police investigating the alleged beating of a land rights activist have concluded that he broke his own neck.
The conclusion prompted accusations of a whitewash from the paralysed man’s family and human rights organisations. Fu Xiancai - a vocal opponent of the Three Gorges Dam - says he was attacked by an unknown assailant on June 8 while he was on his way home from the Zigui public security bureau, where police officers warned him to stop complaining to lawyers and foreign journalists.
The case prompted an international outcry. The German TV station ARD said the assault was ordered by the local authorities as a form of revenge for a critical interview that Mr Fu gave to the channel. After doctors announced that Mr Fu will never walk again, the German government lodged a protest and demanded a full and transparent investigation.
But a six-week official inquiry has concluded that Mr Fu shattered his own vertebrae. “No case can be established because the injuries were not caused by another person,” said the Zigui police station. Investigators told Mr Fu they were unable to find any other footprints near the slope down which Mr Fu said he fell after being twice struck with a wooden pole.
No public announcement has been made, no forensic evidence has been released and the methods and make-up of the investigating team remain a secret. The Chinese media have been forbidden from reporting on the incident. Contacted by the Guardian, the Zigui public security bureau declined to comment.
Mr Fu’s family said the victim was upset by the decision. “The conclusion is unfair and lacks objectivity,” said Fu Bin, who makes daily visits to the hospital where his father is still guarded by three policemen. “Even in the months before the attack, my father was twice beaten and frequently threatened. I think this has something to do with the local government.”
guardian
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