Missing Chinese citizen journalists highlight risks of telling Wuhan’s story during coronavirus outbreak
- Chen Qiushi and Fang Bin had become well known for their reports from the city at the centre of the Covid-19 outbreak, but both are now thought to have been taken away by the authorities
- Tightly controlled state media has tried to put a positive gloss on the situation despite the rising death toll from the disease
Chen Qiushi, a lawyer, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital, both disappeared last week.
The last video Chen posted was one of him interviewing a Wuhan native called A Ming, whose father died almost two weeks ago.
A Ming had described how his father probably contracted the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 during a visit to Wuhan Union Hospital at the beginning of January for a health check-up. There were no safety precautions in place at the time.
“Everybody thinks Mr A Ming is very brave. He feels that since he has experienced these things, he should share them,” Chen said.
During their conversation Chen noted that “many people are worried I will be detained” and he was last heard from on February 7.