Seeking justice, cancer patient scorned by officials   

湖南临澧接访者与患癌访民合影摆胜利手势(图)

昨日，一组接访人员与访民的合影照片在网上披露后，引发关注。照片显示，湖南省常德市临澧县派往长沙接访的两名工作人员，在与患有癌症的访民段新德合影时，面带笑容，并分别摆出“胜利”手势，其手势被网友怀疑为庆祝“接访顺利”。同时公布的，还有此前临澧县信访局局长在街边为段新德摇扇的照片。[查看全文]

(ECNS) -- Officials at a complaints bureau in Hunan province have drawn fire for showing a contemptuous attitude toward a protesting cancer patient, the Beijing Daily News has reported.

Duan Xinde, a resident of Hunan's Linli county, has returned to government offices in Changsha numerous times, seeking redress over a dispute with a local water supply company. Duan's wife has taken several photos of his mistreatment by officials during those visits and posted them to an online forum.

In one of the photos taken on November 11, 2013, Duan is hunched forward like a prisoner with two smiling officials beside him, one of whom is giving a V-sign.

In another photo taken the same day, Duan kneels down on the street, wrapped in a piece of white cloth bearing the word "Yuan" (injustice). A meter away, two officials play with a mobile phone.

In a photo taken in August, Duan sits on the curb with the same white cloth covering his body. Two smiling officials stand behind him. One has been identified as Pang Yewen, head of the Linli Bureau of Letters and Calls.

At the time, Pang Yewen said he was happy after hearing that Duan's health had improved, a statement Duan says is a lie.

Duan also said the officials handled him "violently" on November 18, 2013.