 The doctor has become a household name in China |
The Chinese doctor who exposed Beijing's Sars cover-up last year has been freed after seven weeks in detention, family members have said. Family members said Jiang Yanyong, 72, appeared to be in good health.
They have said he was forced to undergo "brainwashing classes" to change the mentality of political dissidents.
Mr Jiang is believed to have been interrogated about a letter he wrote to China's leaders in February denouncing the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.
"His [Jiang's] health is fine. He gained some weight," Mr Jiang's son, Qing, told Reuters news agency.
However, it remained unclear how much freedom Mr Jiang has been given. He is reportedly under strict orders not to speak to the media.
The retired military surgeon became a hero to many Chinese when in March 2003 he exposed the real extent of the Sars (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) epidemic by questioning official statements that had played down the crisis.
His actions led to the sackings of China's health minister and the Beijing mayor.
Earlier this year, Mr Jiang wrote a letter to the Chinese leadership denouncing the Tiananmen Square protests in which hundreds of people died and called for the rehabilitation of the 1989 pro-democracy movement.
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