Clear the doubts over death

The terse statement released by the police about the death of a young man who was interrogated in Beijing at the weekend has once again provoked the public to question the official version of events.

Lei Yang, 29, the father of a new-born daughter and an expert on the environmental economy with a master's degree from Renmin University of China, died on Saturday night while in police custody after he was seized during a vice raid in the capital's Changping district.

The police, in a short statement issued two days later, said Lei refused to be subdued when caught, suffered a sudden illness during questioning, and was sent to hospital. He was there confirmed dead.

Lei's family and friends have strongly disputed this, saying he was in good health and the bruises on his body suggest abuse.

The contradiction between their words and the police statement has sparked suspicions that the police resorted to excessive use of force.

To dispel these suspicions, the police should lose no time in taking the initiative to offer more information about the incident than they have provided so far, such as when and where the raid took place and whether Lei's interrogation and custody conformed to legal procedures.

If they have nothing to hide, they should see the public concerns about the man's death as a chance to demonstrate their transparency and build up their social credibility. If they have any video to support their statement they should release it.

Failure to address people's concerns, or any attempt to try to cover up the case - for whatever purpose - will only tilt public opinion against the police and give rise to conspiracy theories, as has happened before.