A former British consulate employee who was detained in China last year said he has cut ties with his family and relatives in Hong Kong and the mainland to avoid them being harassed.

Simon Cheng's case triggered a diplomatic row between London and Beijing at a time when relations were already strained by the massive pro-democracy protests that have wracked the former British colony for months.

"I hope they can live in tranquility and peace, without external harassment and threat," Cheng said in a statement posted on his Facebook page Thursday night.

"What I do and say solely represents myself, it is not relevant to my family and relatives," said Cheng, who worked at the consulate in Hong Kong until late 2019.

He did not elaborate on the "harassment" and did not reply to requests for further comment.

In August last year Cheng, a Hong Kong citizen, disappeared while on a business trip to the neighbouring Chinese city of Shenzhen.

Cheng said he was tortured and interrogated by Chinese secret police while he was detained there for 15 days.

Since leaving his job at the consulate, Cheng has lived in self-exile in Britain where he has been campaigning for democracy in Hong Kong.

In November, Cheng said during his time in detention he was shackled, beaten, forced to stand for long hours and deprived of sleep by Chinese secret police, who interrogated him about what role Britain played in the Hong Kong unrest.

The protests, which were triggered by a proposal to allow extraditions to mainland China, have morphed into a wider movement for democratic freedoms and against China's tightening control over Hong Kong.

Both the governments in Beijing and Hong Kong have accused "foreign forces" of being behind the movement.

While he was in detention, Cheng said he was asked if he knew anyone who worked for British intelligence agencies, what part he had played in protests and what he knew about mainland citizens who had joined the demonstrations.

Chinese police said Cheng had been detained for "soliciting prostitutes," allegations his family dismissed.

Beijing has faced criticism in the past for detaining foreign nationals amid ongoing diplomatic spats, and for accusing dissidents or activists of sex crimes.

su/mtp/ecl

FACEBOOK

Related Links
China News from SinoDaily.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Protest-hit Hong Kong sees surge in depression, PTSD: study
Hong Kong (AFP) Jan 10, 2020
Nearly one in three adults in Hong Kong reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder during months of often violent social unrest in the city, according to a study published in The Lancet medical journal Friday. And around one in 10 had symptoms of probable depression, figures comparable to those seen in areas of armed conflict or following terrorist attacks, the decade-long study led by researchers from the University of Hong Kong found. Prevalence of PTSD symptoms was six times higher t ... read more