‘I’ve never suffered such personal humiliation’: Chinese business chief Zhang Shiwen’s 21 days in detention

Zhang Shiwen had gone four days without water, too appalled by his surroundings to drink, when his sense of cleanliness finally gave way to his thirst.

He picked up the bowl that he shared with 24 other men at the Dalian municipal detention centre and took a sip. Conscious that he was possibly drinking the saliva of assorted drug addicts, pimps and thieves, the detained businessman said later in a commentary on social media that he felt his self-esteem “shatter”.