MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th November, 2022) UK broadcaster BBC has expressed concern over detention and harsh treatment of its journalist in China who was covering a Sunday protest against zero-tolerance COVID-19 national policy in Shanghai.
"The BBC is extremely concerned about the treatment of our journalist Ed Lawrence, who was arrested and handcuffed while covering the protests in Shanghai. He was held for several hours before being released. During his arrest, he was beaten and kicked by the police. This happened while he was working as an accredited journalist," the broadcaster said in a statement on Twitter.
The statement added that the BBC had not received any official explanation or apology from the Chinese authorities.
It added that the only reason which the Chinese law enforcement provided was that "they arrested him for his own good in case he caught Covid from the crowd."
Due to numerous local COVID-19 outbreaks and the deterioration of the epidemiological situation in the country, the Chinese authorities introduced partial lockdowns in some areas, while also forcing their residents to undergo PCR testing on a daily basis. In particular, starting from November 24, restrictive measures have been tightened in a number of China's major cities, including Beijing and Shanghai.
China has adhered to a zero-tolerance policy toward COVID-19 cases almost from the very beginning of the pandemic. Chinese epidemiological control is one of the strictest in the world.
