#prisonerabroad

On the 5th September 2010, I had heard a wild rumor - one of those cases from a friend of a friend who knows someone who had heard something. A rumor you hopelessly hope is not true, and whilst living in China at the time - you prey its good old "Chinese whispers" at its best. These rumors spread like wildfire – especially though the expat community in Shanghai, and although 200,000 Expats are in Shanghai – you always feel as you know everyone or at least are connected in someway. Unfortunately after more than a week of searching for Mo we had learned from The British Consulate of Shanghai 24 hours after calling the consulate office in my last attempt of panic to find Mo, that something ghastly had in fact happened. Mo was and still is a good friend, a good man with a very hard shell and soft Centre. Originally from Eltham in southeast London - he had spent several years in Asia with Bangkok and Shanghai his residences that span over a decade. Our meeting came from the best source possible – FOOTBALL, the unofficial international language. Friends are important for anyone in life - more so living in a foreign country, more so when their is huge language barriers and even more so when it's in China where the feeling has and always been - them against "us" All expats feel it at some parts of their stay. China sucks you in for so many (positive) reasons For some folk and I would count myself into this bracket – we find it almost impossible to leave - not necessary the comfort of it all but after you learn how to accept it and make the most of it, then it all becomes allot easier and life literally passes you by. You question how you can go back to normal life after having your own driver, maid and can do have very limited monthly outgoings. The last time I spoke to Mo as a free man was August 14th 2010, if only I would of known what was going on or about to happen I would of made sure that call was very different, unfortunately I could need read Mo’s signs that he was in trouble. Mo was a proud man from humble background and is the kind of guy who would drive a Rolls Royce when he should be riding a bike.  Mo had money troubles - he had got himself involved in deals and people he shouldn't of, people in particular I warned him against - people who were offering Mo the chance of the latest "get rich quick scheme" I had lent Mo money in the past and over that year to help build his new business platform and model - you do when your family is in need of it. What I didn't know is that all of our other friends had also lent Mo money, it turned out we all found after his detention that he was in debt to many friends, Landlord and so on, I believe and still believe Mo's intentions was always to pay his friends back -  that was him. He was too proud a guy to not and he had too many strong morals. I hadn't heard from Mo for a week or so and was well aware of his latest business investment - he had told me all about it. Selling homes in London “off plan” to the Chinese and for the start of the “boom” for Chinese investment abroad. What I didn't know was Mo had been to Dubai just before we had started the search for him. I know he had mentioned his desire to make his next move to the Middle East and leave China for good... Unfortunately for Mo that move never happened and probably never will now. The leading up events from the last time I spoke with Mo to the last email I wrote to Mo are not only vague but seriously after over 5 years I'm still angry, still frustrated and still upset how and what happened to a good man. Only now I can vent my frustration on leaving China. There is no way I would of been able to post anything like this in my time in China - regardless of the social media blocks / restrictions and control that the hands of China has. It's important to understand some main facts of China; it's systems, criminal format before I talk about the case. China has no human rights system as most of us know, I'm a huge fighter for animal welfare, animal cruelty and although we made allot of head way over the years - in the back of my mind all I can think of is when their are no human rights seriously what hope is there animals. China is controlled more than you could ever imagine, the brain washing and the corruption is still more ripe than ever contrary to what is seen on the Chinese governed media or what the locals will tell you. Brain washing stems from the top to the core roots of communities – you’re told something so it must be true. There is no freedom of speech of such and you are not allowed to question a system that has been only coming back now since the Cultural Revolution. Now think of his mother, his family in UK for a moment. No family should ever go through that of not knowing where their Son is ... If I had not called the consulate his family would likely only been notified when Mo was formally arrested via the British Embassy (this could have been 2-3 months after his detention) Now imagine a legal system where your guilty until proven innocent as China is. You have to prove your innocence until your formal arrest day. Which basically means you have time to pay off the right people in this time, pay off the person pointing the blame and the accuser... It's a case for he says and you say and normally the only answer is money. Police are able to detain you for no matter whatever reason they want If you know the right people the police will come and detain you, they will first have to find you of course but if they do - your screwed. China is not a violent country – the Chinese I don’t think are Violent people; cities are safe from physical attacks with exception of minority event. They shout and they yell like they are having a screaming match but that's just a normal chat among friends - but they are not physically violent. Their intimidation is all about threats, fake promises and out and out lies – I speak in terms of doing business as a foreigner now with Chinese. They look at hurting you in the pocket and through fear of connections that person has – also known as “Gunanxi” I believe 100% they said to Mo on the day of him being detained that if he admitted his accused crime he would be let free that day. And this is where his “confession” came into play. Most of us have been shocked by a Netflix TV Show aired recently "Making a Murderer" where we are lead to believe the corruption within the US justice system - obviously very one sided and like 2 tails to every coin that there is always 2 sides. We see what we think is an innocent man sent to prison twice for crimes he did not commit, we see his nephew admit the charges and going along with a story Police officers are telling him to say. Imagine the situation in China where there are no video evidences used in the trial for Mo, there was no official statement released – just the detective story now and Mo’s. I got to know very well the British Consulate officer at the time of Mo detention. I shall not name him. He was sincerely helpful and caring about Mo's case from the start until he left his post in 2011. It's unfortunate he did not stay on, as I felt he could of done more. It's not only China government system that is to blame for Mo - the British government generally did nothing. They pressed buttons rather than pushing them. They were tied up in so much bureaucracy it was insulting how they could allow this and do nothing. All they can do is make sure he is ok – they visit him every 3 months, this is the only visitor Mo is allowed. As friends we are not allowed to visit the prison – it even got to the point where we were not allowed to send Mo clothes and toiletries as these all now have to be bought from the prison shop. After a long drawn out period that ran from September until March 2011 - Mo was formally arrested with fraud of 230,000 RMB (around $37,000) Mo was sentenced to 10 years and 3 months in prison. A sentence that is double that of kidnapping, 3 times that of rape and 4 times that of manslaughter for some recent cases in the press. Mo was 36 went inside and would be 46 when he would get out. Over 5 years on - Mo has managed so far to have 2 years (just under) taken off his sentence.. Very year he serves he can apply for a 1 year reduction. It's very vague and hard to follow why or what constitutes towards a reduction as it changes as often as their wardens. In 5 years I have been able to only speak to Mo on 2 occasions. Once was for his good behavior where he got an extra call, we made sure a group of us from Football were on the line to chat to him. Mo only gets 2 x 10 minute phone calls a month - both of which are used to call his amazing mother Bibi in London. The first time I spoke with Mo after 3 years in prison, and it was if I only spoke to him last week ~ that’s Mo for you. The second time was recently in the UK when I visited his Mother in August. The last time I saw Mo was June 23rd 2011 at his appeal court date. There was only 1 person allowed to attend this - which I can only describe as a farce. • Imagine the worst courtroom scenario • Defendant unable to speak when asked a question • Everything running through the hands of a translator, • The defense Attorney unwilling to speak or bring up any of the evidence Mo had provided. • The accuser of the crime - a Mr Donald Chang from Hong Kong  (Mo's EX business partner) who worked at HSBC bank who later moved to standard chartered – one of the most shadiest characters you would ever meet let alone working in a bank and doing dealings on the side. The charge was fraud – anything over a 200,000 Yuan offense carries a Sentence of 10 years and 3 months. This is exactly the sentence that Mo had received. And of course the appeal date was left on deaf ears and the chances of overturning a conviction was never going to happen, we had already been told this despite new evidence – no judge would loose face and change an already sentence given by another Judge. China just doesn’t work this way. Their was no real evidence to convict Mo of this case - it was all done on circumstantial, it was said his statements were all inconsistent and not believable as at first he admitted his crime then changed later saying he  was under duress. Take his Laptop computer for example, which Mo constantly stated had evidence to support his facts, were true and his innocent. The police later said before his appeal they sold his computer to pay off his debts and fines.. go figure! The police claimed they found the money in his apartment and was planning on leaving the country suddenly - if so the case why was Mo in his apartment on the day of his detention - surely if you have money you have extorted and planning to flee you would of done this when you were in Dubai a few days earlier. Why was the accuser (his business partner) never at the court? Why did his accuser state 1 week after Mo arrest that Mo was going to prison for a very long time? How would he know this? Why did his defense lawyers never fight the case? Whenever I have a really bad day and things are not going right I think of Mo. I think how he's feeling and what he's doing. I think of the days and weeks leading up to Mo arrest and wishing I would of known more and wished he would of spoken out if he was in need of help. Why did I not see this coming? See you soon my brother.