26 January 2016•Update: 26 January 2016
BEIJING
China has deported a Swedish human rights activist after he admitted committing acts detrimental to the country’s security in a live TV broadcast
Sweden’s Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom confirmed in a statement Tuesday that Peter Jesper Dahlin had left the country.
The NGO worker and human rights activist had been arrested Jan. 3 on suspicion of the acts and appeared on state-run China Central Television last week.
In the broadcast, Dahlin confessed to supporting unlicensed lawyers to take on cases against the government “in clear violation of the law".
Dahlin's group -- the China Urgent Action Working Group -- has claimed that his confession was forced and rejected accusations that it manufactured or escalated conflicts in the country.
The group's website says it "works to strengthen Chinese rule of law by encouraging improved policy” by arranging assistance for rights defenders.
