Unprosecuted Murder Protest Leaves 17yr Old Dead, Police Station Destroyed

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Unprosecuted Murder Protest Leaves 17yr Old Dead, Police Station Destroyed

June 20th, 2015

David Schulberg

Woman holds image of Wong Hui showing her beaten face.

Shuangfeng, China – The mysterious death of Wong Hui, a 28yr old woman and mother of two young children aged 3 and 1 on June 7th, who residents say was killed in a domestic violence incident by her husband (from a neighboring village) who was not arrested for her murder, has sparked days of unrest. The killers family and local authorities attempting to white wash the crime, claimed that Wong Hui had ingested pesticide in a suicide attempt.

People have gathered everyday at Wong Hui’s family house since her death on the 7th. When Wong Hui’s family was notified of her death they immediately requested a private autopsy that found no traces of pesticide in her stomach, images of her body show obvious signs of brutality and the family could not smell pesticide in Wong Hui’s mouth. Yet the official cause of death, 10 days later, has still not been determined by a local government judicial expert opinion, an action that is necessary for charges to be brought against her killer. People still demand that due to the physical evidence already available that he should be in custody. The suspected murderer has family members who work with the local police and Shuangfeng County People’s Court.

On Thursday the 18th thousands of villagers gathered at the police station to demand answers and an investigation into Wong Hui’s death. 500 riot police were dispatched to forcefully disperse the gathering and to remove the dead Wong Hui’s body. A boy, 17 year old high school student, was beaten by police and died, dozens of villagers were injured and arrested from battles with the police. State media reports that 13 were arrested.

Villagers cornered roughly a dozen police who had taken refuge in the interrogation room of the police station. People smashed the window and removed the bars and threw in large amounts of fire works to get the remaining police to leave. People smashed everything in the police stations and their vehicles in anger at the corrupt justice and violence brought upon them that claimed another life and left many with injuries. The township government building was also forced open and destroyed.

Hui family members have dug a pit in the living room of her husbands family home and are taking turns guarding her body. They welded the door closed and have propane tanks rigged should police try to use force again.

Images below document the events.