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Chinese police officer arrested over death

A Chinese police officer has been arrested over the beating death of a newspaper editor, police said yesterday.

The killing appeared linked to a dispute involving the officer's ex-wife, but human rights groups demanded an investigation into whether the editor, Xiao Guopeng, was targeted because of his work.

The death was this year's second of a journalist apparently at the hands of Chinese police, who operate with broad powers under little public supervision and are frequently accused of torturing suspects.

Xiao, 39, was attacked by officer Pan Dengfeng outside newspaper offices in the southwestern city of Anshun on July 18, according to newspaper employees and officers reached at Anshun's police headquarters.

Xiao died the next day died from a cerebral hemorrhage, but Pan didn't turn himself in until last Friday, said one officer, who like many Chinese officials would only give his surname, Yan.

A man working at Xiao's paper, the Anshun Daily, said the motive for the attack was unclear, but didn't seem to be related to Xiao's work at the paper.

The man, Jiang Fuquan, said Xiao had been talking to Pan's ex-wife when attacked.

The paper didn't report the attack until the day after Pan turned himself in, Jiang said.
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