Posted on 07/04/2004 10:48:05 PM PDT by neverdem
Hero of SARS Crisis Detained Since June 1
BEIJING -- Chinese military and security officials are forcing the elderly physician who exposed the government's coverup of the SARS epidemic to attend intense indoctrination classes and are interrogating him about a letter he wrote in February denouncing the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, according to sources familiar with the situation.
The officials have detained Jiang Yanyong, 72, a semi-retired surgeon in the People's Liberation Army, in a room under 24-hour supervision, and they have threatened to keep him until he "changes his thinking" and "raises his level of understanding" about the Tiananmen crackdown, said one of the sources, who described the classes as "brainwashing sessions."
But Jiang, who became a national hero last year after blowing the whistle on the government's efforts to hide the SARS outbreak, has refused to back down, and said in a recent note to his family that he would continue to "face the problems confronting me with the principle of seeking truth from facts," according to a person close to the family.
The standoff is the culmination of an extraordinary battle of wills that has been quietly unfolding for months between China's ruling Communist Party and an individual who has already challenged the authorities and forced them to back down once.
China's state-controlled media have not reported Jiang's detention, which began June 1. In response to questions submitted by The Washington Post, the government said in a brief statement: "Jiang Yanyong, as a soldier, recently violated the relevant discipline of the military. Based on relevant regulations, the military has been helping and educating him."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
This elderly retired physician has more courage than the entire scumb*g commie "leadership" who are torturing the old guy.
The irony is that he saved thousands of lives because he told the truth!!!
Big brave liberal/socialist scum!! Cowards torturing a distinguished old doctor.
One man in the right makes a majority!
And everytime we buy something made in the PRC we help pay for this s***.Most Favored Nation my ass!
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