Zhou Guocong (周国聪) was a teenage factory worker in Chengdu, Sichuan, who died in police custody during the June 1989 crackdown. Amnesty International reported in 2006 that he was beaten to death by police after being detained for joining pro-democracy protests.
What the record documents
Sources agree that Zhou was detained in Chengdu on June 6, 1989 and died while in police custody. The exact day is reported as June 6 or June 7. Sources also differ on his age: Amnesty International and Reuters reported 15; a later NPR retrospective reported 17. No birth record located in the evidence packet resolves the difference.
In 2006, local authorities paid Zhou’s mother, Tang Deying (唐德英), 70,000 yuan described as “hardship assistance,” not compensation. Amnesty International and other reporting documented her long campaign for accountability.
Related records
Memorial: Zhou Guocong
Media Profile & Archive