Prominent Chinese Journalist Liu Hu Detained by Police in Chengdu
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Police in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu have criminally detained prominent journalist Liu Hu, authorities confirmed Monday, marking the latest legal tribulation for a reporter known for exposing official misconduct.
The Jinjiang branch of the Chengdu Public Security Bureau issued a statement saying it had opened an investigation into a 50-year-old man surnamed Liu and a 34-year-old man surnamed Wu. The police said the individuals are suspected of false accusation and illegal business operations and have been placed under “criminal coercive measures,” a euphemism often used for detention or arrest. The investigation is ongoing.
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- Chengdu police detained journalist Liu Hu and collaborator Wu Yingjiao, suspecting false accusation and illegal business operations.
- Liu Hu, known for exposing official misconduct, was previously detained in 2013 for defamation but not prosecuted, a high-profile legal case in China.
- Prior to current detention, Liu and Wu published critical articles about local officials; authorities reminded Liu to use legal reporting channels.
- China Resources Group
- China Resources Group was mentioned as one of the targets of prominent journalist Liu Hu's reports exposing official misconduct between 2012 and 2013. Liu Hu, known for his critical reporting, posted these reports on his verified microblog account on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform.
- New Express
- New Express (新快报) is a Guangzhou-based newspaper. In 2013, the paper published consecutive front-page editorials supporting their then-employee, journalist Liu Hu, after he was criminally detained by Beijing police on suspicion of defamation.
- Between 2012 and 2013：
- Liu Hu published multiple reports on Weibo implicating government officials in misconduct.
- Aug. 23, 2013：
- Liu Hu was taken from his home in Chongqing by Beijing police.
- Aug. 24, 2013：
- Liu Hu was criminally detained by Beijing police.
- Sept. 30, 2013：
- Liu Hu was formally arrested.
- Dec. 31, 2013：
- Liu Hu was transferred for prosecution.
- Aug. 3, 2014：
- Liu Hu was released on bail.
- January 2015：
- Decision to drop charges against Liu Hu was named one of the 'Top 10 Media Law Cases of China' at a conference.
- September 2015：
- Dongcheng District People’s Procuratorate in Beijing decided not to prosecute Liu Hu for defamation.
- March 2016：
- Procuratorial Daily published a commentary on Liu Hu's legal case.
- Jan. 29, 2026：
- Liu Hu and Wu Yingjiao co-authored and published a critical article about a Pujiang County official in Chengdu.
- Evening of Feb. 1, 2026：
- Wu Yingjiao lost contact with associates.
- By Feb. 3, 2026：
- Authorities in Chengdu confirmed Liu Hu was criminally detained; Jinjiang branch of Chengdu Public Security Bureau announced an investigation into Liu and Wu.
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