Stones’ detention and arrest (2018) and subsequent imprisonment (2022) had previously been kept from the public. According to media reports and what would be in line with China’s consistent violations of consular treaties, UK consular authorities were prevented access to his sentencing hearing.
On the basis of a witness statement, Safeguard Defenders, a rights group, can now release information about the case of Ian Stones, not previously known nor reported on.
Stones was kept in a facility in southern Beijing, former Canadian diplomat and International Crisis Group adviser Michael Kovrig has said, who was himself also a prisoner there. This center also includes a Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location (RSDL) facility, used by the Ministry of State Security (MSS) in cases concerning foreigners or allegations of espionage and other national security-related crimes.