HK journalists forced to interview

We all know China is lawless. But to this extent?  I still find it hard to believe.

Two Hong Kong Journalists from Mingpao (明報) went to Shaoyang（邵陽）of Hunan Province to interview the relatives of a Chinese dissident Li Wang Yang,  who was alleged by the authority to have committed suicide in hospital, after being interviewed by HK media. After the interview, the journalists were “kidnapped”  by more than 10 public security guys and brought to a hotel, saying that they needed protection.

During detention, their computers, recorders and cameras all were confiscated, and were interrogated repeatedly. And they were put into separate rooms with each of them guarded by two to three police.  And of course, they were not allowed any contact with the outside world.

The next day, the police brought to them the sister and sister- in-law of Li Wang Yang for them to interview and wanted to record the whole interview.  You’d better cooperate, so that you can return to HK early or you have to face legal procedures, they were told.

In front of the government camera, the sister and sister-in-law of Li Wang Yang said all the opposite things of what they told the journalists earlier, including the admission that they signed for the cremation of Li’s body, toeing the official line.  Earlier they told the journalists that they had not agreed to it.

The two journalists were released after 44 hours being detained in the hotel.