Chen Qiushi, a human rights lawyer who has acted as a citizen journalist in Wuhan since the early days of the coronavirus outbreak, went missing Thursday night.
Qiushi posted multiple videos taken while he went roving between hospitals and empty streets to report on mismanagement of the epidemic by the Chinese government.
“I sent my location to a few friends in Wuhan yesterday,” he said on Jan 29 in a lengthy video that described a lack of medical supplies like masks, hazmat suits and other protective gear, and most importantly, a shortage of medical personnel and test kits for the virus.
“We need doctors,” he said. “The outbreak is still serious. Many problems are not solved.
“The department of justice called me again,” he continued. “Qingdao Police Station called me as well. They asked me where I was. They asked me to cooperate with their investigation.”
He said they asked him where he was living, and talked to his parents.
“I am scared,” Qiushi said to the camera toward the end of the video. “I have the virus in front of me. Behind me is China’s law enforcement.”
He promised to continue reporting as long as he was alive.
“I’m not even scared of death, you think I’m scared of you, Chinese Communist Party?”
After friends in China he had asked to watch for him reported that he went silent late Thursday, his name and #FindQiushi were both trending on social media.
One friend, Xu XiaoDong, posted a video claiming Qiushi was taken by force by Chinese officials and the cell phone he used to broadcast his messages was confiscated.
XiaoDong said officials told Quishi’s parents that he was being quarantined because he had been exposed to the virus. But XiaoDong said Qiushi’s parents have been unable to reach him by cellphone, despite the fact that typically those under quarantine are able to use their phones.
A second citizen journalist, Fang Bin, was briefly detained but posted a new video Friday evening, Bloomberg News reported.
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