From whistleblower to nationalist: How did Chinese government manage to change Li Zehua?

Being a journalist in China is no easy feat. Now more than ever. You sway a little and you're taught a lesson by the Chinese regime. Governments like these are adept at "re-educating people".

This is the story of one such journalist, his name is Li Zehua. A former employee of Chinese state broadcaster CCTV

He quit his job and travelled to Wuhan as a 'citizen' journalist. The 25-year-old wanted to report on the situation in Wuhan, the city of origin of the coronavirus.

By the February 26, Li had posted four videos from the lockdown zone.

Videos from crematoriums --- virology labs and funeral homes in Wuhan. Videos that were busting all of Beijing's claims of normalcy.

But Li Zehua disappeared on February 26. He was detained by the Chinese police and forcibly quarantined.

He was last seen in the video that is on your screen. This was live-stream that stretched for hours. It shows Li being chased by some vehicles.

The chase ended at his apartment and some men showed up at his door. They identified themselves as public security agents and took him away. All of this was live-streamed on Youtube.

Li was charged with disrupting public order and then he disappeared. He wasn't seen for two months.

Now, he's back and there's a twist in the tale.

Li Zehua-- is a changed man. He's singing praises of his captors. The Chinese state which arrested, interrogated and confined him for two months for reporting the truth. He is praising them.

"May the people of the world unite".

His comments and his tone are in stark contrast to his previous vlogs.

Was this made under duress?

Or as a condition of his release?

The real truth is yet to be unveiled.

The truth behind his claims. The truth behind his disappearance and the truth behind his new position.