Chinese journalist who disappeared for weeks after reporting on the coronavirus cover-up resurfaces in video praising police

A Chinese citizen journalist who went missing for nearly two months after exposing the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan has resurfaced in a video praising police for its "civil" and "legal" treatment of him.

Li Zehua, 25, was one of several citizen journalists who went missing in Wuhan after refusing to stay silent about the virus. He was previously last seen on Feb. 26 when he documented his own arrest. After being cut off on the road by a white SUV, Li uploaded a video of him calling a friend to explain the situation and then later started a livestream that ended when two agents entered his apartment.

In the new video, uploaded Wednesday, Li claims that he was arrested by police and subsequently forced to quarantine for several weeks due to his possible exposure to the virus by visiting "sensitive epidemic areas," according to a translation of the video by the Guardian.

我是李泽华Kcriss，这是2月26日至今关于我的一些情况。I'm Kcriss, here is something about me since February 26th.www.youtube.com

He had to turn over his electronic devices to a friend during the quarantine, in which he was monitored by security guards and only able to watch the evening newscast from state broadcaster, China Central Television. Yet, Li expressed his thankfulness to the authorities who detained him.

"Throughout the whole time, the police acted civilly and legally, making sure I had rest and food. They really cared about me," he said, adding that he was finally released on March 28 and since then has been spending time with his family.

The Guardian also noted that Li spoke much more patriotically than he had before his arrest.

"May God bless China and the people of the world unite," Li said in the video.

Before his arrest, the Guardian noted, Li "reported on a local neighborhood committee's efforts to cover up new infections and interviewed sick residents. He visited a crematorium where a worker said people were being paid more to transport bodies."

Li worked as an anchor for Chinese state television before resigning in February and traveling to Wuhan to cover the coronavirus outbreak.