It seems that the even though the Chinese government have been trumpeting the anti-corruption trials and investigations as shining examples of truth, justice and fairness, not everyone has been listening.
In an attempt to extort a confession from Yu Qiyithe chief engineer of a state-owned company in the eastern city of Wenzhou, investigators held his head underwater in a bath of icy water. They only stopped the torture when he stopped struggling. He was rushed to a local hosipital where he later died. The five investgators from the Party's disciplinary committee and one local prosecutor have been charged with intentional injury, although that allegation might be the least of their worries.
Held for questioning over a 38 day period, Yu's wife alleges that "Yu Qiyi was a strong man before he was detained... but was skinny when he died," she said in an interview in a local newspaper, "He was bruised internally and externally during the 38 days (in detention). He must have been tortured in other ways besides the drowning exposed by the prosecution," she added.
A post-mortem showed he had been made to "imbibe liquids" that caused pulmonary dysfunction and eventually his death, according to a photograph of a forensic document carried by the newspaper.
It's not the first time that overzealous crusaders have been caught beating the life out of officials suspected of graft. In June, Qian Guoliang, was killed during interrogation. After convulsions and losing consciousness, he was taken to hospital where he too died after attempts to save him failed.
In both cases, these lower level officials have not been important enough to warranty the somewhat more comfortable treatment afforded to Bo Xi Lai, with investigators using the shady system of shanggui(double regulations) to question the "flies" accused of graft. Speaking to the New York Times on the matter, Mr. Qian's lawyer, Shi Weijiang said
“The practice of shuanggui is above and outside the law, yet it is so commonly used. It is highly dangerous. I’m afraid this death won’t be the last if this practice continues.”
It seems that even if you are going after tigers and flies, the tigers still manage to get to have their say in the dock more often than the flies.
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