The death of a whistleblowing doctor who was reprimanded for warning about the new coronavirus has sparked rare calls for political reform and free speech in China.
Li Wenliang, an ophthalmologist in Wuhan — ground zero of China’s virus epidemic which has killed more than 800 — succumbed to the disease Friday over a month after he first raised alarm about the SARS-like virus.
He was among eight physicians punished by Wuhan police for "rumour-mongering".
But after his death struck a collective nerve, a number of academics have spoken up to demand more freedoms in China.
At least two open letters demanding free speech have circulated on social media since the 34-year-old’s death — one signed by 10 professors in Wuhan.
Li’s efforts "vigorously maintained the interests of the country and society", read that letter, which has since been censored on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like social media site.
"Put an end to the restrictions on freedom of speech,”it demanded, and "openly apologise”to Li and the seven other doctors punished for discussing the emergence of the virus in December.
The other letter — signed on Friday by an anonymous group of alumni from the prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing — called on authorities to "guarantee the constitutional rights of citizens".
"Resolutely oppose making political security the top priority — that is an extremely selfish goal of a small organisation!”it said.
The letters are a rare call for political reform in China, a country where dissidents are often jailed and criticism of the Government is quickly scrubbed.