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Agence France-Presse: China dissident's father dies in disputed suicide: Human Rights in China

February 4, 2014

From Agence France-Presse, China dissident's father dies in disputed suicide: Human Rights in China”:

According to a statement released by Human Rights in China on Monday, and confirmed by a family friend, both Xue's father and mother, Wang Shuqing, were taken away by police in Qufu in eastern Shandong province on January 23.

Six days later, they fled to a government public prosecutor's office but were soon caught. After being split up, Wang was told her husband had jumped to his death from the prosecutor's office, the rights group said, citing "informed" sources.

"Of course it's suspicious," said family friend Ma Qiang, confirming the rights group's account. "This situation of 'being suicided' is very common in China."

The couple were taken into custody "many times a year and he had always said: 'I would never commit suicide'", Ma told AFP by phone.

Supporters of the family have signed an open letter urging an independent inquiry, which was posted online by Human Rights in China.

See HRIC press work on Xue Mingkai and Xue Fushun.