Chinese writers arrested for online ‘slurs’ about dairy firm as Beijing tightens grip on social media
Public questions police involvement in civil case after pair detained over ‘fictional’ stories about Yili Group and its chairman Pan Gang
Two Chinese men have been arrested on suspicion of spreading rumours on social media about the country’s largest dairy firm and its chairman that led to its market value losing almost US$1 billion, state media reported on Monday.
Zou Guangxiang and Liu Chengkun were originally detained last month at their homes in Beijing by police officers who had travelled from Hohhot, capital of Inner Mongolia, where the company, Yili Group, has its headquarters, Xinhua reported.
The report did not say when the arrests were made, but said they came after an official inquiry into the case, which also sparked a national outcry over Beijing’s ever-tightening grip on people’s right to free expression online.
According to the report, headlined “Social media is also ruled by law”, the arrests came after Yili’s chairman, Pan Gang, told the police about the rumours, one of which claimed Pan had himself been taken into custody.
In fact, Pan has been receiving medical treatment in the United States since leaving China on September 5, Xinhua said.