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Taiwan Public TV director mysteriously arrested in Hong Kong

Director of Taiwan Public Television Service show arrested by Hong Kong police without explanation

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Last sighting of director. (Photo from Telegram group @youarenotalonehk)

Last sighting of director. (Photo from Telegram group @youarenotalonehk)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Teng Cho-ju (鄧卓儒), a director for a TV show produced by Taiwan's Public Television Service (PTS, 公視), has been arrested in Hong Kong without explanation and is currently incommunicado.

The show's producer, Lin Tzu-ying (林子穎) on Monday evening (Nov. 18) said that the Hong Kong Journalist's Association had confirmed with Hong Kong police that Teng is currently in custody, but no reason has yet been given for his arrest, reported CNA. Cabinet spokeswoman Kolas Yotaka (谷辣斯‧尤達卡) said that PTS had been informed of the situation and that the Cabinet has asked the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) to do its best to assist the TV station.

A group set up on the social media platform Telegram called "You Are Not Alone HK" (被捕人士關注組), which lists Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters who have been arrested, on Monday reported Teng has having been arrested in Tsim Sha Tsui. In a statement released at 6:30 p.m. on Monday evening, PTS announced that it had originally enlisted Lin, an independent Hong Kong producer, and Teng to assist in the production of the show "Inside the Arts" (藝術很有事).

Lin said that Teng was arrested on Monday in Tsim Sha Tsui as he headed to The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the current scene of a violent showdown between pro-democracy protesters and riot police, to shoot footage. He added that Teng's family does not currently know his whereabouts.

PTS told CNA that the show was going to introduce a song related to Hong Kong and that a businessman had asked Teng to film the response of Hong Kong people to the song. PTS added that it is currently unable to contact Teng, and due to the chaos on the ground, it is not yet able to determine the exact reason why Teng went to the university.

A For Adrian, a Facebook group that has been publishing news about the pro-democracy protests, wrote that Teng is a Hong Kong citizen. The Facebook post added that others who were arrested at the scene were taken away on a train, which some fear could have been headed for a detention center in China.

Taiwan Public TV director mysteriously arrested in Hong Kong
Last sighting of Teng. (Image from Facebook group @youarenotalonehk)