Wei Wenhua


Wei Wenhua was the general manager of a construction company, Shuli Architectural Engineering. He was beaten to death in Wanba, Tianmen, Hubei, after attempting to film Chinese authorities clashing with villagers.

Death

The conflict which Wei attempted to film centered on a garbage dump in the village that the Chinese government was using, which the village government feared to be threatening to the inhabitants' lives.
The Chinese media reported that Wei was beaten by a group of thirty or more Chengguan when he attempted to photograph the villagers protesting with a mobile phone. He was beaten inside his car for five minutes and declared dead at a local hospital soon after.

Response to death

Qi Zhengjun, secretary-general of the city's government and commander of the municipal force, was fired from his position after the incident, following public outrage and government investigation into Wei's death. Twenty-four Chengguan members, as well as over one hundred other government personnel, were also questioned, and four people were detained.
According to Chen Junling, Wei's brother-in-law, a protest outside Tianmen's city hall the day after Wei's death comprised thousands of people.