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Chinese Man Killed Over Cellphone Video

City inspectors beat 'citizen journalist' to death; official fired

By Emily Thompson,  Newser User

Posted Jan 11, 2008 3:37 PM CST
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(Newser) – More than 50 municipal inspectors beat to death an onlooker filming a confrontation between government officials and villagers in central China, CNN reports, sparking renewed criticism of China's press-freedom record. The head of the city administration bureau was fired today, reports the state news agency Xinhua, as authorities reacted quickly to forestall larger protests. The incident has set Chinese chat rooms ablaze.

Wei Wenhua, a 41-year-old construction company executive called "the first 'citizen journalist' to die in China," began filming with his cellphone after coming upon a confrontation between villagers and city inspectors attempting to dump waste near their homes. The inspectors—of whom 24 are now detained—then turned on Wei in a 5-minute attack.

On Janary 7th, a Chinese blogger was beaten to death for filming a confrontation between city inspectors and villagers in the province of Hubei.(Croquant)
On Janary 7th, a Chinese blogger was beaten to death for filming a confrontation between city inspectors and villagers in the province of Hubei.(Croquant)   (commons.wikimedia.org)
1st of January 2008
1st of January 2008   ((c) warrenski)
A View across Yangtze River from the Yellow Crane Pagoda in central Chinese province of Hubei, China. On Janary 7th, a Chinese blogger was beaten to death for filming a confrontation between city inspectors and villagers in the province of Hubei. (Leonard G. September 22, 2002)
A View across Yangtze River from the Yellow Crane Pagoda in central Chinese province of Hubei, China. On Janary 7th, a Chinese blogger was beaten to death for filming a confrontation between city inspectors...   (Wikipedia.org )
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