US family tells of travel nightmare: China bans their exit and father imprisoned without charge
- Couple trapped in China while teen daughter had to raise herself in US
- Human rights advocates accuse Beijing of using ‘exit bans’ to take de facto hostages over business disputes
The first thing Daniel Hsu noticed about the room was that there were no sharp edges. The walls were covered with beige rubber, the table wrapped in soft, grey leather. White blinds covered two barred windows.
Five surveillance cameras recorded his movements and two guards kept constant, silent watch. They followed Hsu to the shower and stood beside him at the toilet.
Lights blazed through the night. If he rolled over on his mattress, guards woke him and made him turn his face towards a surveillance camera that recorded him as he slept. He listened for sounds of other prisoners – a door slamming, a human voice – but he heard only the occasional roar of a passing train.
“First, keep healthy,” Hsu told himself. “Second, keep strong.”
He had no idea when or how he would get out.