London Summons China Envoy over Torture of Hong Kong Consular Official

British Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, on Wednesday said he had summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest the brutal and disgraceful treatment of a former Hong Kong consular employee.

Simon Cheng Man-Kit, who alleged that he was tortured by Chinese police, wrote that he was accused of spying and subjected to torture, threats and coercion.

He said including being handcuffed to a tiger chair, during 15 days of administrative detention in southern China in August.

“Cheng was a valued member of our team.

“We were shocked and appalled by the mistreatment he suffered while in Chinese detention, which amounted to torture,’’ Raab said in a statement. “I summoned the Chinese ambassador on Tuesday to express our outrage at the brutal and disgraceful treatment of Simon in violation of China’s international obligations,” he said,

Adding that Britain expects Beijing to investigate and hold those responsible to account.

Cheng was a trade and investment officer at the British consulate in Hong Kong. He said he traveled to the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, which borders

Hong Kong, on Aug, 8. for a business trip.

Police stopped him at a border railway station as he was about to return to Hong Kong.

Cheng said he was taken to several police stations and detention centres, where he faced threats, blindfolding and shackling during repeated interrogation by uniformed police and plainclothes state security officers.

The police accused him of spying and helping to organise anti-government protests in Hong Kong.

Cheng said he was forced into a confession for soliciting prostitution, a charge he denied.