From Guardian Unlimited:
Chinese police investigating the alleged beating of a land rights activist have concluded that he broke his own neck, prompting accusations of a whitewash from the paralysed man’s family and human rights organisations.
Fu Xiancai – a vocal opponent of the Three Gorges Dam – says he was attacked by an unknown assailant on June 8 while he was on his way home from the Zigui public security bureau, where police officers warned him to stop complaining to lawyers and foreign journalists.
The case prompted an international outcry. The German TV station ARD said the assault was ordered by the local authorities as a form of revenge for a critical interview that Mr Fu gave to the channel. After doctors announced that Mr Fu will never walk again, the German government lodged a protest and demanded a full and transparent investigation. [Full Text]
See also:
– China accuses dam activist of self-inflicted wounds by The Age.
– Chinese Officials: Dissident Hurt Himself after German Interview by DW-World.