Innocent British, South African and Indian Tourists Released by Chinese Upsets Ordos Officials in Inner Mongolia

LONDON, July 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Hoosain Jacobs, along with his wife plus 18 friends, was arrested by officials on Friday July 10 2015 in Ordos City in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.  The tour group were travelling on a deluxe 47-day holiday in China, organised by a Chinese tour operator with Chinese guides.  All 20 tourists - nine British, ten South African and one Indian national - were released within a week, without charge.  They have all recently returned home.

Hoosain Jacobs said, "In response to the accusations made by the foreign affairs office in Ordos City in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, I can understand that officials in Ordos wish to repair their reputation in relation to their treatment of tourists visiting their country.  However, it would have been better if they had apologized instead for the serious error of judgment on their side.

"It is completely wrong of them to ascribe any sort of illicit activities to myself, or indeed to anyone else in this peaceful tour group.

"I categorically deny that anyone was charged for anything of any kind. And nobody repented or admitted to anything whatsoever, as there was no crime to repent or admit to, and no charges of any type were laid whatsoever. After being detained we were merely taken to the airport and asked to leave the country.

"I give an assurance that there was nothing like that and nothing was watched from anyone's cell phone. The only things watched by myself and the group was a short clip of the 10 best western cowboy films of all time and a 40-minute BBC documentary on Genghis Khan. These were watched from a laptop computer in our hotel.

"I think it is fairly obvious that our tour group would not have been released by senior Chinese officials had we done anything wrong.

"I don't wish to make any further comments, and as far as myself and the group is concerned this sad and unfortunate chapter is now behind us."

Mr Jacobs will not be available for interviews.  Ordos City is also called Erdos City.

Information provided on behalf of the Jacobs family by Tina Fotherby at Famous Publicity on +44(0)7703-409-622, email tina@famouspublicity.com.  

To view a statement issued on Friday July 10, please see:  http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/all-british-and-south-african-tourists-detained-in-china-now-released-516224461.html