Tibet protester facing detention

The demonstration took place near the site of the Beijing Olympics

A British mother-of-two faces a 10-day detention in China after taking part in a Free Tibet demonstration.

Mandy McKeown, 41, from Bristol, was arrested in Beijing on Thursday and will be deported on 31 August.

Mrs McKeown was detained along with two Americans and a German following the protest which took place near the site of the Olympic Games.

The Foreign Office said consular officials were in contact with Mrs McKeown and her family in the UK.

A spokesman said: "We continue to underline to the Chinese government the need to respect its commitment to freedom of expression.

"At the same time, we encourage all UK visitors to China to respect local laws."

Human rights

Philippa Carrick, chief executive of parliamentary lobby group the Tibet Society, said it was "outrageous" that Mrs McKeown could be held without trial.

"She was just filming the protest, she was not touching a Tibetan flag or anything," she said.

"It makes a mockery of the assurances about human rights that China has given to the Olympic Committee.

"We want to make sure Gordon Brown is fully briefed about this ahead of the closing ceremony."

Mrs McKeown has a five-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter.

Leeds North East MP Fabian Hamilton, a council member of the Tibet Society, said: "I am appalled than anyone should be arrested and sentenced to imprisonment without trial simply for speaking out about Tibet."

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