Hong Kong (CNN) -- Friends of a high-profile Chinese dissident found dead in his hospital room Wednesday slammed official claims that he hanged himself as "insulting" and "ridiculous." Huang Lihong told CNN that he had visited long-time labor rights activist Li Wangyang at Daxiang District Hospital in Shaoyang, Hunan province, a few days before his death on June 6. "He was in good spirits... There was absolutely no sign showing he wanted to take his own life. He was also listening to my radio and told his sister to buy him one, too," Huang said. Li was blind, deaf and had trouble walking after spending more than 20 years in prison following the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989. He was one of China's first labor rights activists and was jailed shortly after the June 4 massacre for urging workers to strike, according to Human Rights in China (HRIC).
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Friends of Chinese activist Li Wangyang slam suggestions he committed suicide
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Li was found hanged in his hospital room in Shaoyang despite being under surveillance
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Family members are calling for an official investigation into his death
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Li spent more than 20 years in jail after the Tiananmen Square crackdown
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