China defends detention of Uighur model in Xinjiang

Chinese officials say a Uighur fashion model who filmed himself handcuffed to a bed in an epidemic prevention centre in Xinjiang had been lawfully detained.

Merdan Ghappar sent video of himself, and a series of accompanying text messages, to his family in February.

They were passed to the BBC and published earlier this month.

The messages offered a rare, detailed account from inside Xinjiang’s highly secure and secretive detention system.

In his account, Mr Ghappar described 18 days spent shackled and hooded with over 50 others in a jail.

He said he was then isolated in an epidemic prevention centre, where he filmed the video.