AFP
Hundreds of former students have come to the support of a law professor fired from an elite Chinese university for his outspoken criticism of President Xi Jinping, raising more than 100,000 yuan ($14,300) in donations.
Xu Zhangrun, who taught at Tsinghua University for over 20 years, wrote an open letter to thank almost 600 alumni of the Beijing institution for their backing.
But Xu -- abruptly detained by police for nearly a week in early June before being sacked -- wrote that the money should be sent instead to those in greater need.
"I'm nearing 60 years of age, and although my eyesight is dim, my body remains in good health and I can work to earn money for food," Xu said.
"My scholarship is restricted but my thinking will not cease, and I plan to sell essays to feed myself."
The letter, dated Sunday, was widely shared on social media and confirmed as real to AFP by one of Xu's friends, who did not wish to be named.
Xu, 57, was fired from Tsinghua on the grounds that his essays violated a staff code of conduct issued by the education ministry, according to an official letter dated Wednesday seen by AFP.
It also referred to a police allegation that Xu had solicited prostitutes during a trip to Chengdu last year, which his friends previously dismissed as "ridiculous and shameless".
Beijing has faced criticism in the past for accusing dissidents or activists of sex crimes.
