There is serious concern for the health of Bao Tong, a 60-year-old prisoner of conscience, who is serving seven years’ imprisonment for his activities during the 1989 pro-democracy movement. During a visit on 16 February to Qincheng Prison in Beijing, where he is held in solitary confinement, his family were shocked at the deterioration of his health and his harsh living conditions. They have appealed to the international community for help. He has developed a variety of new ailments, including a thyroid tumour, swollen lymph nodes and constricted salivary glands. He already suffers from a reduced white blood cell count, chronic gastritis and growths in his colon and intestines. His family have been denied access to his medical records and his doctors to determine whether his condition is cancerous and what sort of treatment he is receiving.
