SARS Hero Seeks Apology

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Dr. Jiang Yanyong, a Chinese military surgeon who became a national hero after exposing Beijing’s cover-up of SARS cases, has asked the government to apologize for the way he has been treated since his 2003 revelation. (Reuters has details here.) My former colleague Susan Jakes first reported Jiang’s revelations in the spring of 2003. His bravery helped save untold lives and forced the government to sack the health minister and the mayor of Beijing. After exposing that official mendacity, Jiang went on to denounce the 1989 killings of demonstrators in Beijing. As a result he and his wife were detained and he was forced to undergo re-education. Jiang writes that his detention was “in violation of the Constitution, the Party Charter and army disciplinary rules” and adds that restrictions on him visiting family overseas are “really outrageous.”

Below I have posted a translation from Human Rights Watch of Jiang’s letter.

To General Secretary Hu Jintao and the Members of the Politburo Standing Committee:

As a doctor, my duty is to save people’s lives. That is why I sent out a letter of warning about Beijing’s SARS epidemic in 2003. It is also why I sent a letter on February 24, 2004 to leaders of the NPC and the Central Committee calling for a reappraisal of June 4th [student demonstrations of 1989] based on what I witnessed as the director of surgery at No. 301 Hospital. My letters were all delivered through proper channels, and my actions were all in line with the Constitution, the Party Charter and army disciplinary rules.

However, on June 1, 2004, my wife and I were kidnapped without any proper legal procedure or documentation. For the first two weeks, I was purportedly held in “administrative detention.” My wife was kidnapped and detained at the same time, but she was only shown an “administrative detention” order a week later, back-dated.

On June 16, 2004, the Central Military Commission issued an order for “administrative investigation” (liang gui shen cha) in the name of Party discipline. I was told by the investigators that administrative investigation usually takes less than three months. Yet, despite my repeated requests for a response, it was not until October that the PLA General Logistics Department’s CCP Commission issued a statement:

According to the CCP disciplinary rules, article 58: “For creating rumors that demonize the Party and the State, for mild offenses, a warning or a serious warning shall be issued; for serious offenses, probation or a change of position within the Party organization shall be issued; for extremely serious offenses, expulsion from the Party shall be issued.” The case of Jiang Yanyong should be considered an extremely serious offense. However, because Jiang has admitted to his mistakes and provided a written letter of repentance and a wish for redemption, we hereby issue, with the approval of the Central Military Commission, a two year internal Party probation for Jiang Yanyong.

I immediately complained that the statement was not based on the truth and was therefore unacceptable. I immediately wrote an appeal to the Party Commission of No. 301 Hospital and the General Secretary. After it was sent, I asked for an answer again and again. It was not until March 21, 2005, that I received a reply, marked No. 8 by the Central Military Commission to the General Logistics Department’s CCP Commission: “Agree to remove the measures taken against retired cadre Jiang Yanyong.” However, the two “measures” taken during this process had deprived me of my personal freedom for 294 days.

I believe the “administrative detention” issued by the former Chairman of the Central Military Commission, Jiang Zemin, against me starting on June 1, 2004 was in violation of the Constitution, the Party Charter and army disciplinary rules. The “administrative investigation” starting June 16, 2004 was also without grounds and a complete mistake. Furthermore, it is really outrageous that I have continued to be restricted from visiting family members overseas. I believe all restrictions on me should be removed and the relevant departments should correct their mistakes and issue an apology. Only then will they be in compliance with the ideals of the Party’s fourth generation leadership: “rule by law,” “the people first” and “harmonious society.”

Dr. Jiang Yanyong

No. 301 Hospital

February 6, 2009