Family of Hong Kong fugitive detained in Shenzhen calls letter signed by him ploy by authorities

Family of Andy Li says the letter is part of an effort to ‘whitewash the inhumane treatment political prisoners receive in Chinese detention centres’

Li’s relatives also say ‘the circumstances under which he was compelled to produce such statements is very unsettling’

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Relatives and supporters of the fugitives release balloons in Kat O, in northeastern Hong Kong across Yantian in Shenzhen, calling for their return. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 11:22pm, 22 Nov 2020Updated: 6:21am, 23 Nov 2020

The family of a Hong Kong fugitive detained in Shenzhen has dismissed a letter sent by him as an attempt by mainland Chinese authorities to “whitewash the inhumane treatment of political prisoners”.

The family of Andy Li also labelled a request to his sister to give up campaigning for democracy as a “direct warning” from Beijing.

Li was arrested in Hong Kong under the national security law but attempted to flee to Taiwan along with 11 other fugitives wanted over offences tied to the anti-government movement that erupted last year.

Several other families of the detained had also received similar letters recently, according to the Save 12 HK Youths Concern Group which posted copies of some on its Facebook page last week.

They were purportedly written by the fugitives, but their relatively upbeat accounts of conditions inside the detention centre has sparked doubt over whether they were forced to write the notes against their will.

Some wrote that they were “living well” and were being “fed well”, with one saying he spent his day mostly reading books and could watch TV at night.

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