Editor’s Note

According to caixin.com, over half of officials who had committed suicide since 2006 had suffered from known bouts of depression. However, the public and other media remains unconvinced and are calling for a more thorough investigation and convincing data.

Suicide Cases

Name and official position	Time	Cause of death/age	Official response
Ke Jianguo, former head of the Anti-Embezzlement and Bribery Bureau of Chongzhou, Sichuan Province	Feb. 2013	Jumped from building / 45 years old	After an initial investigation, police revealed that Ke was being treated for depression at two local hospitals, according to Xinhua.
Qi Xiaolin, former deputy chief of Guangzhou Public Security Bureau, Guangdong Province	Jan. 2013	Hanged himself / 55 years old	Qi suffered from illness and showed signs of depression prior to his death, said the Guangzhou Public Security Bureau.
Zhang Wanxiong, former deputy chief of Liangzhou District People’s Court in Wuwei, Gansu Province	Jan. 2013	Jumped from  building / 46 years old	Zhang said he suffered from serious depression in a suicide note.
Wang Fuyou, former director of Suizhou Science and Technology Bureau, Hubei Province	Jan. 2013	Jumped from  building / 50 years old	Authorities said  that Wang’s case was “very complicated,” according to caixin.com
Dai Guochuan, former deputy director of the Bureau of Land and Resources in Qionghai, Hainan Province	Sept. 2012	Jumped from  building / 49 years old	Dai left a suicide note saying he did not want to live on account of his poor health and pressure from work.
Mei Jianmin, former director of Taishan Administration of Work Safety in Guangdong Province	Aug. 2012	Jumped from building / 48 years old	Mei stabbed Jian Zhenliang, deputy director of Taishan Administration of Work Safety in Guangdong Province over a dispute and committed suicide afterward.
Zhang Mingxian, former director and Party chief of Shangqiu Tobacco Monopoly Administration, Henan Province	March, 2012	Jumped from building / 55 years old	Zhang’s case is still under investigation. A week before Zhang killed himself, Zheng Jianming, former director of Henan Tobacco Monopoly Administration, was investigated by internal affairs watchdogs.
Su Li, former Party chief of Wujiang district in Shaoguan, Guangdong Province	Feb. 2012	Hanged himself / 45 years old	Su’s death is suspected to have connection with a local construction project, according to caixin.com.
Lu Yongjun, former deputy director of the Bureau of Township Enterprises, Ministry of Agriculture	Nov. 2011	Jumped from building / 57 years old	Lu suffered from insomnia and was not suspected of corruption, according to caixin.com.
Ye Jinru, former director of Shaoxing Commission of Population and Family Planning, Zhejiang Province	Oct. 2011	Jumped from building / 50 years old	Ye left a suicide note saying that she cannot endure the torture from the sickness.
Zhang Guangsheng, former discipline inspection department chief of Luoyang Public Security Bureau, Henan Province	April, 2011	Jumped from building / 54 years old	Zhang left a suicide note explaining he suffered from insomnia, severe depression and pressure from his job.
Cai Tiegang, former vice Party chief of Yuncheng Discipline Inspection Commission, Shanxi Province	Feb. 2011	Jumped from building / in his 50s	Cai suffered from depression since 2006.
Tang Hongwu, former director of Department of Market Supervision, China Securities Regulatory Commission	Nov. 2010	Jumped from building / in his 40s	Tang had a confrontation with family members before he died.
Wu Xuexin, former Party chief of Wujiang district of Shaoguan, Guangdong Province	Oct. 2010	Jumped from building / 58 years old	Wu had been reported to authorities for corruption by friend with whom he had an economic dispute.
Tong Zhaohong, former deputy director of Zhejiang High People’s Court, Zhejiang Province	Sept. 2010	Hanged himself / 56 years old	Tong left a suicide note saying he suffered from long-term depression.
Dai Yong, former deputy director of discipline inspection and supervision office of Sheyang county, Jiangsu Province	Aug. 2010	Jumped from building / 45 years old	Dai had admitted to suffering from insomnia and depression.
Wang Congzhu, former governor of Wanquan county, Hebei Province	Aug. 2010	Hanged himself / 49 years old	Wang has showed signs of depression.
Liu Yajun, former director and Party chief of CAAC Central and Southern Regional Administration	June, 2010	Jumped in front of train / in his 50s	Liu admitted to suffering from insomnia and extreme work pressure.
Zhang Guosheng, former Mayor of Putian, Fujian Province	April, 2010	Jumped from building / 54 years old	Unknown
Liu Xianjin, former governor of Maoming People’s Procuratorate, Guangdong Province	Feb. 2010	Jumped from building / 59 years old	Liu has suffered from insomnia and anxiety.
Zhao Xianchun, former vice director of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region’s CPC organization office	Dec. 2009	Slit wrists / 48 years old	Unknown
Zhang Xiwu, former director of grassland supervision center, Ministry of Agriculture	April, 2009	Unknown	Zhang had financial issues before his suicide.
Shen Zhongliang, former director of Sheyang Taxation Bureau, Jiangsu Province	Feb. 2009	Hanged himself / 47 years old	Police reports indicate depression the cause of death.
Yin Yong, former director of Guzhen Finance Bureau, Anhui Province	Feb. 2009	Jumped from building / 46 years old	Unknown
Zhang Zhou, former deputy director of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade	July, 2006	Hanged himself / 52 years old	Zhang blamed “heavy work stress” in his suicide note. However, many colleagues close to him were arrested before his death.

Source: caixin.com–Globaltimes.cn

Viewpoints

	The Xinhua News Agency Suicides should not be kept secret from the public. We need to find out whether there are other causes besides depression.
	Changjiang Daily Neither the investigation team nor police are qualified to make a conclusion because only doctors can properly diagnose depression. The public requires a more convincing explanation for the suicides of officials.

@新华视点: Thorough investigations should be conducted and the results should be announced within a reasonable time frame because officials are working for the public interests. We hope for more transparency surrounding the reasons for officials’ deaths.

@袁裕来律师: I’m thinking more officials will feel depressed once anti-corruption policies are strengthened.

@彭彤Tony: We need to pay more attention to the health of officials.

@羽戈: There are two possibilities why depression causes suicide among officials. One is that officials are easily depressed, and the other is that depression is only an excuse to explain their suicide. However, it’s obvious that most who commit suicide are mid-level officials, implying that depression may also be related to how much power an official have.

@王中强律师: After an official’s suicide, related departments immediately say the official suffered from depression for many years. But I doubt that they could function as officials for so long with such a serious disease.

Related Reports

 

Depressed corruption fighter likely took own life
Guangzhou deputy police chief commits suicide

 

For more information about depression, check GT Daily Special(s):

Youth depression arouses concern at the cost of life