A blind activist who has exposed official abuses and forced abortions in China's eastern Shandong province was beaten Monday when he tried to leave his home.
Two friends were refused entry to the home of Chen Guangcheng, who has been kept under virtual house arrest in Dongshigu village since September by a gang of local officials and villagers.
When Chen tried to greet his friends, he was kicked and beaten by eight or nine people, Radio Free Asia reported, citing Chen's cousin and other witnesses. He was left bleeding and in pain, but his request to go to the hospital was denied.
Chen has been preparing a lawsuit against local officials for violence against women, including forced abortions and sterilizations of those who violated the one-child policy. His writings have been widely read on the Internet.
In September, Chen fled to a friend's home in Beijing but was tracked down and abducted by officials, who brought him home and have kept him under 24-hour watch ever since.
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