On August 18th, Zhao Liang, former director of the Chengdong Police Station in Jieshou City, Fuyang, Anhui Province, made a public report online, accusing that he was framed and imprisoned for two years by Wei and others, deputy secretary of the Fuyang Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission, for refusing to collude with local tycoons Lv and Wang. The news quickly went viral, with netizens expressing concerns about the safety of even a police station director, questioning how ordinary people can protect themselves.
In his report video, Zhao Liang held his ID card and explained that he was arrested under false pretenses for allegedly accepting a bribe of 100,000 yuan while investigating the illegal activities of Lv and Wang, the local tycoons in Jieshou City. He stated that they fabricated evidence and concocted charges to retaliate against him in collaboration with Wei and others.
According to Zhao Liang, Lv is a “dominant figure of black evil forces” in the region, maintaining thugs, monopolizing real estate development in Jieshou, engaging in tax evasion, causing massive losses to state-owned assets, and interfering in local politics to target and retaliate against dissenters.
In 2024, Wang was placed under disciplinary investigation for bribery involving former deputy secretary of the Fuyang Municipal Party Committee Meng Qingyin and deputy mayor Liu Yujian, while Lv was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for organizing prostitution.
In response to the incident, the Anhui Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision stated that an investigation has been initiated in accordance with procedures.
Netizens on social media platforms expressed outrage and disbelief at the situation, questioning why it took two years for the case to be officially filed after Zhao Liang’s report. They criticized the delay and demanded accountability from the authorities for their inaction during this period.
Some netizens urged for the importance of keeping various channels for complaints open and accessible to the public, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability in governance.
Recently, there have been several cases of public officials in mainland China coming forward with reports of misconduct. Earlier on August 5th, police officer Chen Zhiwei, who responded to a violent incident at a barbecue restaurant in Tangshan, publicly reported on social media that he was unjustly interrogated by officials from the Cao Feidian District of Tangshan, aiming to scapegoat him.
A lawyer in Beijing commented that these officials resorted to public reporting as they found the formal channels ineffective, turning back to the people for justice.