Woman applies for State compensation

A petitioner who was misdiagnosed with a mental illness for 13 years said on Tuesday that she will apply for State compensation worth 2.1 million yuan ($340,000), according to news portal Zhejiang Online.

Zhan Xianfang, 59, is a farmer in Dongyang, Zhejiang province. In 1998, she started repeatedly petitioning in front of the local police bureau to report the corruption of local officials.

In 2000, she was diagnosed with paranoia by the Second Hospital of Jinhua and was forced into medical treatment by the police in Dongyang.

The Zhejiang High People's Court ruled on March 22 that Zhan is in healthy mental condition and that the forced medical treatment was illegal. Before that, she had appealed to the Jinhua People's Court and the Jinhua Intermediate People's Court, but was rejected.

Zhan said she would like law enforcement authorities, including police and courts, and the hospital to pay for her losses during the 13 years.

The police in Dongyang responded on its website saying that it would take this case as a lesson and would fulfill its duties in terms of compensation.