With the growing panic from terrorist attacks, people should be careful about what they watch or say, more especially when they are in a terrorist sensitive country like China.
China has detained nine foreign nationals and deported 11 others for “violating laws and committing crimes” while they were on a tour of ancient sites, CNN recently reported.
Six Britons were part of the twenty-man tour group, organized by Gift of the Givers charity. According to the reports, China had detained some of the group members because of suspicions of alleged links to terror groups and for watching propaganda videos in their hotel rooms in a city in northern China.
The group included 10 South Africans, nine Britons and one Indian who were on tour in China from the Gift of Givers charity, which is a large disaster relief organization based in South Africa. Based on statements the charity organization made on their Facebook page, it was reported that they were on a 47-day journey to explore ancient Chinauntil they were suddenly stopped by police at the Ordos airport last Friday, July 10.
“They were detained without charge, with no access to any communication nor to legal representation,” CNN reported.
“It was only on Sunday, 48 hours later, when the tour operator realized that something was amiss and made the trip to Ordos, that the first information on the detained citizens came to light.”
In a statement to CNN, China’s foreign ministry said:
“Twenty foreigners were suspected of violating laws and committing crimes in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, on July 11”. They further stated that “The case is under investigation. China will guarantee the legitimate rights of relevant people in accordance with law, and will continue to provide necessary convenience and assistance to counselor officials of foreign embassies, ” the ministry added.
The British embassy in Beijing confirmed that nine British nationals – as well as two dual British-South African nationals – were among those detained, adding that six had been deported.
A spokesperson for the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) also said five South Africans were headed home and five other remained in China.
Culled from CNN
