A Swedish man working for a human rights group in China has been detained on suspicion of endangering state security, another advocacy organisation said Tuesday, as Beijing steps up controls on civil society.
A man known as Peter Beckenridge, who worked for the Chinese Urgent Action Working Group, was detained at a Beijing airport on January 4, a spokeswoman for US-based charity Chinese Human Rights Defenders told AFP, citing associates of the man.
He was being held on a charge related to "endangering state security", the spokeswoman added. The Chinese Urgent Action Working Group says online that it seeks to aid "human rights defenders in distress".