Reuters looks at the controversial history of Li Qun, the Communist Party boss in Qingdao who some claim is carrying out a vendetta against activist Chen Guangcheng:
Li first won national attention in China as the author of a book describing his times in New Haven, “I was an Assistant to an American Mayor”.
But an examination of Li’s time in New Haven and Linyi, an area in eastern China’s Shandong province where his path crossed with Chen’s, indicates he embellished details of his time in New Haven.
“The Mayor has no recollection of Li Qun,” Elizabeth Benton, director of communications from the City of New Haven, said in emailed comments that denied other details of Li’s account.
Most recently, human rights activists have accused Li of pursuing a vendetta against Chen Guangcheng, who has been under house arrest in Linyi for 15 months, becoming the focus of domestic and international campaigns to secure his freedom.
Seeing Red in China has a post looking at the role of Li Qun and other local officials in the detention of Chen Guangcheng. See also an article from the New Haven Register about Li Qun and his apparent work at the city’s mayor’s office.
Read more about Chen Guangcheng and the campaign in China to win his release, via CDT. Read more related stories on CDT’s Human Rights page.
