The Chinese police published on Thursday a video purporting to show a former employee of the British consulate in Hong Kong confessing to soliciting prostitutes, after Britain backed his allegation that he was tortured over pro-democracy protests.
The case has added to tensions between Beijing and London over the demonstrations that have roiled the former British colony for months.
Simon Cheng, a Hong Kong citizen, said on Wednesday he was beaten by secret police while he was detained in Shenzhen for 15 days in August.
Mr. Cheng said in a statement on Facebook that police had accused him of being a British spy and questioned him about London’s role in protests.
Mr. Cheng said he felt he had no choice but to make a filmed confession to “soliciting prostitution”, a charge he said was offered by police as an alternative to “indefinite criminal detention”, and that he had not been allowed to contact his family.
Police on Thursday posted a video on Weibo, purporting to show Mr. Cheng entering and leaving a room in a “clubhouse” multiple times.
Mr. Cheng said he had “got a massage for relaxation after work hours”.
