The family of a Chinese man who died in police custody in May has accepted a settlement offer from Beijing authorities as they struggle to contain public outrage over their handling of the incident.
On December 23, officials announced their decision not to prosecute five policemen implicated in the death of Lei Yang, sparking online protests that have gone viral over the past week. The death of Lei, a university graduate who worked at a government environmental organisation, and last week’s decision not to hold the police accountable shocked urban middle-class professionals across the country.
“This was a political decision rather than one based on rule-of-law,” said Hu Xingdou, a professor at the Beijing Institute of Technology. “All of my friends are disappointed and indignant. Lei Yang’s case reflected the reality that the rights of Chinese citizens are not protected.”