Update | Wukan protest leader ‘admits’ bribery as Hong Kong media outlets accused of ‘inciting’ the demonstrations
State media on mainland also report that the leader of the protest campaign has allegedly confessed to taking bribes
The village chief at the centre of protests over land seizures in Wukan, Guangdong, has confessed to taking bribes in a video released by local authorities amid mounting demands for his release.
The disclosure came as authorities accused a Hong Kong newspaper and a digital media group of inciting, planning and directing the protests.
Villagers in southern China defy warnings and press ahead with demonstration to demand chief’s release
About 2,000 villagers have taken to the streets in recent days demanding the release of the village’s Communist Party secretary Lin Zuluan, who was taken away by police on Saturday on suspicion of bribery. He had called on villagers to march to the offices of the Lufeng city government to air their grievances over the ongoing land disputes.
In the video shown by the Shanwei government, which administers Wukan, Lin admitted taking bribes.
“Due to my ignorance of law, I took huge kickbacks in contracting and procurement projects. This is a crime – the biggest crime I’ve committed,” Lin said in the video, which was shown at a government press conference.
Wukan made global headlines in 2011 when residents staged large demonstrations over corruption and land grabs. They were allowed to directly elect their leaders following the stand-off, but allegations that officials were misusing land persisted, and have led to the recent protests.
