China has detained nine foreign nationals and deported 11 others
for "violating laws and committing crimes" while they were on a tour
of ancient sites, authorities said Wednesday.
Gift
of the Givers, the
charity that organized the tour, said that China had detained some of the group
because of suspicions of alleged links to terror groups and for watching
propaganda videos in their hotel rooms in a city in northern China. It stressed
they had no terror links or criminal record.
"Twenty
foreigners were suspected of violating laws and committing crimes in Ordos,
Inner Mongolia, on July 11," China's foreign ministry said in a written
statement to CNN.
The ministry did
not address CNN's question on the reason for their detention.
"The case
is under investigation. China will guarantee the legal rights of relevant
people in accordance with law, and will continue to provide necessary
convenience and assistance to counselor officials of foreign embassies, "
the ministry added.
'Release
them'
In a Facebook post, Gift of the Givers, a large disaster
relief organization based in South Africa, said the 20 foreigners included 10
South Africans, nine Britons and one Indian.
The post said
the group was on a 47-day journey to explore ancient China — until they were
suddenly stopped by police at the Erdos airport last Friday, July 10.
"They were
detained without charge, with no access to any communication nor to legal
representation," the post said.
"It was
only on Sunday, 48 hours later, when the tour operator realized that something
was amiss and made the trip to Ordos, that the first information on the
detained citizens came to light."
"The
Chinese, now trying to find reasons for the detention suggested that some
members were linked to a terror group, to a banned organization, to watching
propaganda videos in their hotel room."
Quoting family
members, the post called on the Chinese government to release immediately the
nine people who remain in detention.
"These
individuals have no terror links, no criminal record in their country," it
added.
The British
embassy in Beijing confirmed that nine British nationals - as well as two dual
British-South African nationals - were among those detained, adding that six
had been deported.
"Consular
staff have visited the group to provide assistance and we are liaising with
Chinese authorities," said a spokesman with the British Foreign Office. It
added that it is seeking further clarification from Beijing on the reason of
their detention.
A spokesperson
for the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation
(DIRCO) said five South Africans were headed home and five other remained in
China.
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