Public support for woman detained in stabbing case

A pedicurist who allegedly killed a low-level official in Badong county, Hubei , has sparked one of the biggest civil rights movements on the mainland in recent years as various groups show their solidarity with her.

Deng Yujiao, 21, who works at the Xiongfeng Hotel, allegedly stabbed Deng Guida to death on May 10 after refusing to provide him with 'special service'. The official was head of a Yesanguan town government office in charge of business promotion.

The official reportedly slapped the woman's head with a pile of cash after she had said she worked at a karaoke club and was not a prostitute. He apparently pushed her onto a sofa twice before she allegedly stabbed him three times. One of his subordinates was also wounded.

Deng Guida, 44, died from blood loss and a punctured lung.

Deng Yujiao was detained on charges over the killing of the official, but the stabbing has been widely seen on the mainland as an example of the struggle the needy, particularly women working at seedy entertainment venues, endure against official corruption and immorality.

On Sunday, more than 40 students from China Women's University in Beijing issued a written appeal calling for justice on behalf of Deng Yujiao and greater protection of women's rights on the mainland.

Lan Yujiao, one of the signatories, said that they were saddened by the woman's plight and even more outraged by such disregard for women. 'In a society where women's rights are fully respected, Deng Yujiao would never have gone through that humiliation,' she said.