Photo:VCG

 A model who posted a video of himself being handcuffed in a room and has been used by Western media as "proof" to accuse Xinjiang, was under compulsory measures for violating COVID-19 prevention rules, a spokesperson of China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region told a press conference on Thursday. 

Since the beginning of August, BBC and some other Western media have been hyping a video taken by Mardan Aba, a model for online clothes shops who was called Merdan Ghappar in the BBC story, showing himself being handcuffed in a room. BBC claimed that Mardan's video is evidence of Uygurs being "detained" and "held without charge." 

However, Eljan Anayt, spokesperson of the Xinjiang regional government, revealed the true story of Mardan, which is opposite the BBC's version. 

Mardan, 31, was sentenced to 16 months in jail by the Nanhai District Court of Foshan in South China's Guangdong Province for drug trafficking on July 30, 2018. He was released on November 28, 2019. 

According to Article 37 of the Prison Law of the People's Republic of China, a person released after serving his sentence shall be sent back to the place of their registered residency and the local government shall assist the individual to resettle.

As Mardan's household is registered in Kucha, Asksu Prefecture, the Foshan public security bureau transferred him to authorities in Kucha.

Eljan said that while being transferred to Kucha, Mardan hurt himself and reacted violently toward the police before being slapped with restrictive measures by the public security bureau, which were removed later on when he turned stable. 

However, in the early months of this year when lockdown measures were imposed in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Mardan did not cooperate with the prevention and control measures, refusing prevention and control personnel to take his temperature and insulting and beating them.

Eljan said that the public security organs took compulsory measures on Mardan, as he was suspected of violating relevant regulations. The investigation is ongoing. 

Global Times