On November 17, Mr. Zhao Xin, a renowned Beijing democracy activist, was severely injured in a beating in Sichuan. It took a total of 11 stitches to close four wounds on his head. The bone in his right leg was fractured; tissue in his calf muscle was destroyed; and two of his ribs were broken. At present, he is in the Bayi Orthopedics Hospital in the Chengdu Military Region. He will need to undergo treatment for one to two months before he can get out of bed.
Friends from Chengdu and other surrounding areas have rushed to see him. Online support for Zhao Xin continues to pour in. The UN Human Rights Inspection Group and US embassy have called to express their concern for Mr. Zhao. Amnesty International, the international human rights organization, issued a statement urging authorities to guarantee his safety, thoroughly investigate the incident, and bring the persons responsible to justice.
From his hospital bed, Zhao Xin expressed gratitude to his concerned friends. He said that many people, both friends and strangers, have come from places such as Chengdu, Chongqing, and Guizhou to see him and to give him flowers and traditional bone soup. Friends from places such as Hubei and Guangdong are also rushing to see him. His visitors include intellectuals, Christians, human rights defenders, and members of the Pan-Blue Coalition. Many friends also called to express their sympathy, which touched him deeply.
He said, “When it snows, they bring coal. They share my hardships. My friends’ concern has strengthened my beliefs, driving me to work harder and to go a step further in the future for China’s democratic rights.”
Li Hai, Liu Jingshen, Ma Wendou, and Liu Di all said that they represented Beijing democratic activists such as Qi Zhiyong and Hu Jia, who were unable to come to pay their respects. They expressed their remorse that they had been delayed because they were being monitored by the authorities.
Ma Wendo urged the local authorities to solve the case as soon as possible, to arrest the criminals responsible, and make them pay for Zhao’s injuries. He hoped that Sichuan officials would give serious attention to the matter and provide Zhao Xin with suitable protection. Liu Jingshen said that the beating remains a mystery and must be investigated. Liu Di said that her biggest hope is that Zhao would get well soon.
