Li Rui: US trial begins in battle for Mao secretary's diaries
A trial has commenced in California regarding the ownership of diaries belonging to Li Rui, a former secretary to Mao Zedong. Li's widow, Zhang Yuzhen, is suing for their return, claiming they are her property, while Stanford University argues that Li donated them to prevent their destruction by the Chinese government due to his critical views.
Li Rui, a prominent figure in the Chinese Communist Party, faced persecution for his reformist stance and criticism of Mao. His diaries, chronicling significant events in Chinese history, including the Tiananmen Massacre, are currently accessible at Stanford, which contends that returning them to China would lead to censorship.
The case highlights tensions between personal rights and political censorship, with Stanford seeking to retain the diaries to honor Li's wishes and preserve his historical accounts against potential suppression by the Chinese regime.