COURTING BETRAYAL
Documentary | 80 min | Drama, Mystery
A true story of a Swedish businessman in Chinese prison. The True Story and the Factual Account of a Swedish Businessman in a Chinese Prison. A tense police-thriller, every word of which is unfortunately true.
STORYLINE
A mysterious arrest of a Swedish Armenian in Beijing, by the dreaded Chinese Police; Hell in a Concentration camp; powerful characterization of prisoners from top to bottom of the Communist Party; African detainees, and other foreigners; of Chinese police bribery and corruption; three years of unexplained, illegal detention of the author; an attempt of Inspection by the very United Nations mysteriously subverted; the author’s show-trial (matching Kafka’s The Trial) on trumped-up charges and illegal procedures; Final corrupt verdict – LIFE – imprisonment!
‘It Could Happen to You’
Three factors determine the treatment of foreign nationals in detention, Karimi says: their nationality, their contacts in China, and the concern evinced by their embassy. All three factors were in Karimi’s favor, which meant police didn’t dare to physically torture him, lest embassy visitors see the marks. But they settled for mental domination.
Those less lucky were regularly beaten, had their fingers broken, and were tied in stress positions for days. Electric batons were mostly reserved for Chinese detainees. Karimi says he heard numerous cases of Chinese detainees dying of torture, and that they were denied access to family members or a lawyer.
PRODUCTION
This project is in early stages of possible development based on the book Life Sentenced in China: A true story of a Swedish businessman in Chinese prison. The True Story and the Factual Account of a Swedish Businessman in a Chinese Prison. A tense police-thriller, every word of which is unfortunately true.