FUZHOU, FUJIAN, China, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- A Communist Party leader in south China's Fujian province who blew the whistle on local officials' corruption has been detained, along with his wife.
Huang Jingao, party chief of Lianjiang county, disappeared Wednesday afternoon from a hotel where he was to attend a meeting, the South China Morning Post reported Friday.
The Boxun News Network online reported that officials from Fuzhou, the provincial capital, had detained both Huang and his wife.
Huang, 52, gained national attention with an online letter to the official People's Daily in August, accusing Fuzhou officials of selling government land at prices below market value, without paying proper compensation to displaced farmers.
The open letter was quickly removed, and the Fuzhou government posted a reply accusing Huang of corruption. The former farmer wrote he had received 26 death threats because of his battle against corruption.
Huang received media and public sympathy after posting the letter, but continued to face harassment. Seven people were reportedly detained after trying to help him.
