Sun Dongdong

Sun Dongdong (Chinese: 孙东东, born 20 December 1959) is the head of Peking University's forensics department, and also runs Peking University's judicial expertise centre.

Controversy

In April 2009, Sun was heavily criticized because of statements he made about petitioners in China and the xinfang petition system. In an interview with China Newsweek magazine, Sun "thinks at least 99% of China's petitioners (訪民) are mentally ill", and he supports "the forced hospitalizations of mentally ill petitioners".^[1] Sun has stated:

When [a petitioner] insists on his particular point of view, that point of view is a symptom of paranoia. ... Hospitalization of (a mentally ill person) is the greatest safeguard. ... He is a danger to society and also a danger to himself. We must bring such a person in for treatment and speed up his mental recovery. In this way his human rights will be protected.

— The Wall Street Journal^[1]

In response, many Beijing petitioners went to protest against professor Sun Dongdong at the entrance of Peking University, shouting slogans "Put Sun Dongdong into mental hospital".

Sun later issued an apology for his comments, stating he expresses regret for his statements.^[2]

References

1. "A Professor's Comments on Mental Illness Draw Ire in China. Reported by Sky Canaves". The Wall Street Journal. 3 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-07.
2. In Chinese: 北大教师称上访户99%有精神病 为不当言论致歉