Detainee's death spurs debate over residence permit system

Deluged by a wave of public outrage over a young man who was beaten to death in police custody for lacking a residence permit, a senior cadre has pointed out that Guangdong has never issued regulations to detain people found without proper identification papers.

Li Huanxin, vice-chairman of the legal committee of the Guangdong People's Congress, told state television this week that there was nothing in the Guangdong custody and repatriation regulations which said people who failed to produce residence or work permits should be detained.

The violent death of 27-year-old graphic designer Sun Zhigang and the events that led to his detention have provoked public emotions on the mainland and internet chat rooms have been abuzz with messages of sympathy and anger.

While some mourn the tragic loss of a young life, others question the validity of a system which they believe has led to widespread abuses of police power.

Feeling the heat, Communist Party leaders in Guangdong called a two-day meeting last week urging law-enforcement officers 'to learn the lessons from the Sun Zhigang incident'.

Sun, a university graduate from Wuhan city, failed to produce a temporary residence certificate during a random check in March and was detained by police in a custody and repatriation centre.