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Chinese journalist Liu Hu detained in Sichuan after report scrutinising local officials
Liu and his assistant reportedly in custody for ‘illegal business operations’ and ‘false accusations’
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Yuanyue Dangin Beijing
A veteran Chinese investigative journalist has been detained by police in Sichuan province after publishing an article critical of local officials, raising fresh concerns about the abuse of power.
On Monday evening, police in Jinjiang district in Sichuan’s capital city of Chengdu issued a notice on social media on the matter.
It stated that a person surnamed Liu, 50, and one surnamed Wu, 34, had been “subjected to criminal coercive measures in accordance with the law” on suspicion of lodging “false accusations” and conducting “illegal business operations”.
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According to Chinese media outlet Caixin, the detained pair are veteran journalist Liu Hu and his assistant, Wu Lingjiao.
Liu is an investigative reporter who previously worked for the Guangzhou-based newspaper New Express. In recent years, he has operated a social media account as an independent journalist, where he has covered disputes between private enterprises and local government bodies.
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In an article published on Thursday, which has since been deleted, Liu cited a source as alleging that Pu Fayou, Communist Party secretary of Pujiang county under Chengdu, had abused his authority to suppress private enterprises.
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