Persecuted criticsIn late December, police in Wuhan admonished seven doctors who tried to warn their peers and friends that a new pathogen was in circulation.
Among them was Li Wenliang, 34, who later contracted the virus and died of the disease, sparking a rare public outcry demanding freedom of speech and questioning of the country’s system of governance.The government later embraced Li’s story, framing him as a martyr rather than a silenced whistle-blower.