Beijing [China], October 9 : The daughter of imprisoned Chinese real estate tycoon Ren Zhiqiang made a public appeal, urging Chinese President Xi Jinping to allow her father to receive proper medical care following reports of his deteriorating health during his time in jail, Voice of America (VOA) reported.
Notably, Beijing has continued to draw global attention because of its stringent measures to silence dissent and criticism within the country, as anyone who challenges the Chinese authority, ends up facing harsh consequences and suppression for their critical stance against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Ren Zhiqiang, aged 73, once a member of the Chinese Communist Party, served as the chairman of the state-owned Huayuan real estate group in China. He was imprisoned after writing a critical essay in March 2020, which condemned the CCP's management of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an open letter published on the Chinese social media platform WeChat on October 2, Ren Xinyi, Zhiqiang's daughter, appealed to President Xi to release her father so he could receive medical treatment for his worsening condition and spend his remaining years with his family, VOA reported.
Xinyi detailed her father's critical health condition in her statement, stating that he is gravely ill and on the brink of death in prison. She also noted that Zhiqiang had long been suffering from a prostate condition and was advised to undergo surgery before his imprisonment in 2020.
Despite numerous requests for the surgery, he has yet to receive medical care.
"I am willing to promise that my father will never make any public remarks or content after he goes abroad for treatment. He is over 70 years old and seriously ill. He cannot cause trouble to you and the country," Xinyi stated in the letter.
Before his detention, Ren was known as "Cannon Ren" for his outspoken criticism of CCP policies.
In the translated version of his 2020 essay, Ren stated, "The reality shown by this epidemic is that the party defends its interests, the government officials defend their interests, and the monarch only defends the status and interests of the core."
Ren also advocated for greater freedom of speech in China, arguing that open dialogue would better protect Chinese citizens.
In a closed-door trial, Ren was sentenced to 18 years in prison on charges of corruption, bribery, and embezzlement of public funds, alongside a fine of USD 600,000, as reported by VOA.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor