UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said on Monday that the detention of a BBC journalist in the city of Shanghai, China, is cause for concern, as media workers should be able to work "without intimidation."
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th November, 2022) UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said on Monday that the detention of a BBC journalist in the city of Shanghai, China, is cause for concern, as media workers should be able to work "without intimidation."
Earlier in the day, the BBC said Edward Lawrence was detained and beaten by Chinese police officers while covering a Sunday protest against COVID-19 restrictions in Shanghai. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian responded by saying that the journalist did not present a media identification card and the BBC's account of events was inaccurate. Zhao added that foreign journalists are always welcome to cover events in China, but only if they respect local laws and regulations.
"Media freedom and freedom to protest must be respected. No country is exempt. The arrest of BBC journalist @EP_Lawrence in China is deeply disturbing. Journalists must be able to do their job without intimidation," Cleverly said on Twitter.
Due to numerous COVID-19 outbreaks across China and the deterioration of the epidemiological situation in Shanghai in particular, the Chinese authorities have introduced partial lockdowns in some areas, while also forcing residents to undergo PCR testing on a daily basis.
China has adhered to a zero-tolerance policy toward COVID-19 almost from the very beginning of the pandemic. Chinese epidemiological controls are some of the strictest in the world.
