A CHINESE MAN who had started a website trying to seek compensation for the parents of children who had fallen ill after drinking contaminated milk, has been jailed for “inciting social disorder”.
Zhao Lianhai, who had founded ‘Kidney Stone Babies’ after his own son had fallen ill in 2008, was sentenced yesterday after being first arrested in December, having been accused, Reuters reports, of having “picked quarrels and provoking trouble”.
His wife, Li Xiumei, said the couple planned to appeal the ruling, and said it was “so unfair” that he had been given such a lengthy sentence, given that he had been in jail ever since his arrest nearly a year ago.
Zhao sent up the website to provide information and resources to the parents of over 300,000 children – including his own son – who fell ill in 2008 when their milk formula was deliberately tainted with melamine, a highly-toxic cyanamide. At least six babies died as a result of the contamination.
Zhao had previously worked for the country’s food quality and safety authority, and was therefore well-placed to offer advice to affected parents.
The contamination scandal in 2008 was a highly embarrassing episode for the national administration, the BBC reports, and led to a worldwide recall of Chinese dairy products.
More than 20 people – including farmers – were convicted for their roles in the affair, with three put to death.
Amnesty International has condemned the verdict, saying it was “appalled that the authorities have imprisoned a man the Chinese public rightly view as a protector of children, not a criminal.”
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