Disappearance Of Corona Virus Reporting Citizen Journalists In Wuhan

Chen Qiushi capture screen from his YouTube video upload

JAKARTA - Chen Qiushi, a citizen journalist who often uploads reports regarding the current situation of the corona virus outbreak (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan, was reported missing. A number of relatives and families have been unable to contact Chen since last week.

The journalist's disappearance has led to speculation that Chinese authorities are again silencing those who "dare" discuss the coronavirus. Especially Chen, who is also a human rights activist in China.

Chen arrived in Wuhan since January 24, or a day after the Chinese government decided to isolate the capital of Hubei Province in order to prevent the spread of the corona virus. Unable to leave Wuhan, Chen decided to go around and visit a number of hospitals, to isolation places in the city and document them.

Various videos and photos of the current condition in Wuhan were then uploaded on his social media. At the same time Chen went missing, Li Wenliang, the doctor who first warned of the corona virus, also died. The 34-year-old doctor also received punishment from the Chinese authorities for disseminating information related to the corona virus to the world.

Reporting from The Guardian, Chen was last seen visiting a hospital on Thursday last week. Since then, both his friends and family have lost contact with Mr. Chen until now.

"I'm Chen Qiushi's mother. Please, online friends and especially those in Wuhan, please help me find Chen Qiushi and find out what happened to him," Chen Qiushi's mother said in a video posted on Chen's Twitter page.

Chen's disappearance came as the Chinese government struggled to contain public anger over the handling of the virus. That public outrage had reached new heights after Li's death.

Chen Qiushi was also previously detained for uploading a video recording of a protest in Hong Kong. He has also frequently reported on the corona virus outbreak in hospitals and on the streets of Wuhan since January 23, 2020.

In the video, he appears to be wearing only glasses and a face mask, unlike state media journalists who are wearing protective clothing.

In a video uploaded on January 30, Chen shared that he visited a hospital full of patients, most of them on oxygen and many of them lying in the corridors. The video includes footage of a man who recently died in a wheelchair.

"I am afraid. In front of me is a disease. Behind me is the power of Chinese law and administration. But as long as I live I will talk about what I have seen and what I have heard. I am not afraid of death. Why should I be afraid of you, Communist party?" Chen said in a video.

Chen Qiushi, who has more than 200,000 followers on Twitter and more than 400,000 subscribers on his YouTube, regularly posts videos from Wuhan, where he visits hospitals and talks to patients and doctors. Like Doctor Li, he is seen by the public as an ordinary citizen who tries to help others.