Dr. Li Wenliang, a doctor at the central hospital in Wuhan, China, who first alerted the world to the existence of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Sung-yeol] Dr. Li Wenliang, who warned about the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), contracted COVID-19 and passed away. Following his death, the Chinese people have openly expressed distrust and dissatisfaction with government authorities, while the government's crackdown on Chinese intellectuals continues, sparking controversy.
Since late December last year, Li Wenliang warned that a new coronavirus was spreading in Wuhan, China. However, he was accused of spreading rumors and punished by the police. Later, he contracted COVID-19 while treating patients and ultimately died on the 6th.
Even after Li Wenliang's death, the government's suppression of intellectuals continues.
According to the Hong Kong daily newspaper 'Ming Pao' on the 17th, on the 15th, human rights lawyer Yang Bin, along with her husband, son, and the legal scholar Xu Zhiyong whom they were hiding, were arrested by the police at their home in Panyu, Guangdong Province, China.
Yang Bin recently signed an online open letter demanding the restoration of honor for the eight doctors, including Li Wenliang, who first revealed COVID-19 to the world, and calling for accountability of related parties.
She then posted online, "Li Wenliang's death is causing anger not at related laws but at the Party and the state system," sharply criticizing the Chinese leadership, which led to a police investigation.
Xu Zhiyong, a Ph.D. graduate in law from Peking University whom Yang Bin's family was hiding, is a human rights activist who formed the 'New Citizens Movement' with legal scholars and human rights lawyers to pursue civil rights protection and social justice. He has been wanted by the Chinese government since late last year.
He started the 'New Citizens Movement' after an incident in 2003 where a young man named Sun Zhigang was stopped by police, taken to a detention facility, beaten, and died.
Yang Bin and her family were released on the 16th, but they are expected to be prosecuted for harboring the wanted Xu Zhiyong. Xu Zhiyong's whereabouts remain unknown.
Recently, Tsinghua University law professor Xu Zhangrun, who signed an online petition along with hundreds of intellectuals urging the National People's Congress of China to accept five demands including 'guaranteeing freedom of expression,' has also gone out of contact.
In a post openly criticizing President Xi Jinping regarding the COVID-19 situation, he stated, "I can easily foresee that I will be punished. This will undoubtedly be the last article I write."
Additionally, citizen journalist Chen Qiushi, a lawyer who posted videos reporting on the situation on the ground in Wuhan and criticizing the government's response, has been out of contact since the 6th.
Citizen journalist Fang Bin, a former clothing vendor, disappeared after posting videos outside a hospital in Wuhan showing a van full of bags containing the bodies of patients who died from COVID-19, along with videos criticizing dictatorship.
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