A British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) journalist changed into assaulted and detained whilst overlaying a protest in China’s Shanghai, the information broadcasting community stated on Sunday. Cameraman Edward Lawrence changed into handcuffed and held for numerous hours earlier than being launched, it stated, including he changed into subjected to beatings via way of means of the Chinese police in the course of his detention. “The BBC is extraordinarily involved approximately the remedy of our journalist Ed Lawrence, who changed into arrested and handcuffed whilst overlaying the protests in Shanghai,” information organization Reuters quoted a spokesperson for the British public provider broadcaster.
“He changed into held for numerous hours earlier than being launched. During his arrest, he changed into overwhelmed and kicked via way of means of the police. This passed off whilst he changed into operating as an approved journalist,” the spokesperson added.
Shanghai is amongst many Chinese towns seeing protests over stringent Covid restrictions. The protests flared up over the weekend following a lethal hearthplace in Xinjiang, wherein virus controls had been blamed for hampering rescue efforts.
The BBC stated that they’d now no longer been given a reputable rationalization or apology for Lawrence’s detention. “We have had no reputable rationalization or apology from the Chinese authorities, past a declare via way of means of the officers who later launched him that that they’d arrested him for his very own correct in case he stuck COVID from the crowd,” the BBC stated.
Reports additionally said pictures circulating on social media displaying a man — being recognized as Lawrence — arrested via way of means of guys in police uniforms. Hindustan Times may want to neither confirm the authenticity of the video nor the declare.