China Detains Three Suspects Reporter's Death
Chinese state media say three suspects have been detained in connection with the beating death of a reporter who was investigating an illegal coal mine. The identities of the suspects were not revealed.
The state-run Xinhua news agency says reporter Lan Chengzhang died of an apparent brain hemorrhage after he was beaten by 20 men in Datong, in northern China's Shanxi province January ninth. He died a day later. Chinese media say the owner of the illegal coal mine hired the attackers. Xinhua says Lan's death is provoking outrage on Internet sites in China. Some reports suggest Lan may have been trying to blackmail the mine owner. Officials in Shanxi say blackmail attempts by fake journalists are common there.
China's coal mines are the deadliest in the world, with almost five-thousand people killed in accidents in 2006.
中国官方媒体说，同把一位调查非法煤矿的记者殴打致死事件相关的三个嫌疑人已经被捕。这几人的身份没有公布。
官方的新华社说，记者兰成长显然是死于脑部出血。1月9号，兰成长在山西大同遭到20人的殴打，一天后死亡。媒体说，袭击者是非法煤矿矿主雇用的。新华社还说，兰成长的死引发了网民的愤慨。一些报导说，兰成长可能曾试图勒索矿主。山西省官员说，假冒记者敲诈勒索在当地时有发生。
中国煤矿是世界上最危险的，2006年有近5000人死于矿井事故。
