A leading official in Fuyang, Anhui province, is suing two authors of a book detailing the mistreatment of farmers in the province.
The defamation lawsuit was filed by Zhang Xide, a vice-chairman of the People's Political Consultative Conference of Fuyang against Chen Guidi and Wu Chuntao.
Their book, An Investigative Report of Chinese Peasants, has sold 100,000 copies since it was published last month.
Mr Zhang said the book's claim that when he was Communist Party secretary of Linquan county, he had intimidated farmers who complained against high fees imposed on them was 'pure fabrication'.
His decision to file the lawsuit at Fuyang Intermediate People's Court, where his son is a judge, has met strong opposition from the authors' lawyers.
Mr Zhang denied the move was an attempt to influence the outcome of the lawsuit.
