Today Zhao Lianhai was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison in China. His 'crime'? "Disturbing social order" by organizing a support group for parents of children like his young child, who were affected by one of his country's worst food safety scandals in 2008.
Six children died and nearly 300,000 were sickened by baby formula tainted with melamine, which can cause kidney stones and kidney failure. The industrial chemical, used in the manufacture of plastics and fertilizer, was added to watered-down milk to increase profits and fool inspectors testing for protein.
Lianhi had pushed for greater official accountability and compensation for victims and their families after the incident that shocked China. He set up an online forum to share information about the poisonings in 2008 after his son, then 3, was diagnosed with kidney stones. A former reporter and media advertising salesman, Lianhi was taken away by police after convicted of a charge used to silence government critics.
My heart goes out to this man... a fellow ad salesman, fellow parent, and fellow person trying to do something good.
And a warning, America. We had better keep free speech or this could start happening here...
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