The sister of Hong Kong activist Andy Li has cried foul over the conditions of his detention, adding that Li had “vanished” after being taken into custody on his return from a mainland prison sentence.

Apple Daily earlier reported that Li is being held in solitary confinement at a maximum-security psychiatric hospital after being transferred back to Hong Kong on March 22. Li spent seven months behind bars in mainland China for illegally crossing the border in a failed attempt to flee to Taiwan last year.

“How is it possible for [Li] to ‘be disappeared’ again? This is Hong Kong!” Li’s sister, Beatrice, said in an interview with i-Cable News on Monday, adding that the family had not been able to visit Li, and the government had still not come clean regarding his whereabouts.

During Li’s previous incarceration in mainland China, he was also barred from seeing his family and was held incommunicado for a period of time.

She said she found out about Li’s predicament from the news. Keeping Li in Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre — a facility with a history of alleged abuses — was a form of “psychological torture” to her brother, she added.

She said she will press the Correctional Services Department for further answers about Li’s situation.

Li had reportedly refused legal representation arranged by his family. However, his sister said she did not believe Li would make such a choice voluntarily. Li had earlier written to his family that he would leave his legal arrangements to them, she said.

“It’s impossible for him to say he’ll leave it to us, and then to reject the lawyer we hired,” Beatrice Li said, adding that she had concerns about the lawyer arranged by the government to represent Li.

Li’s case was mentioned in court last Wednesday, but the activist did not make an appearance as he was still in quarantine. Li’s lawyer was also absent.

On Monday, Apple Daily revealed that Li was being held at Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre under the supervision of a “secret unit” in the Correctional Services Department. Li received special attention because authorities wanted to prevent him from disclosing his experiences in mainland China, a source said.

Li faced fresh charges under Hong Kong’s national security law after returning to the city, and was immediately taken into custody on March 22.

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