According to Mr Pavlou, police officers told him that the Chinese embassy filed a report about an email it received that read: “This is Drew Pavlou you have until 12 PM to stop the Uyghur Genocide or I blow up the embassy with a bomb regards Drew.”
Mr Pavlou “vociferously denied” sending the email, pointing to previous alleged instances of fake emails using his name being sent to government officials.
He said he was denied his right to speak with solicitors or his barrister, Michael Pollack, as well as Australian consular authorities as it was past midnight.
“This is insanity. Just utter madness. I have no idea what to do,” Mr Pavlou said in a statement released to SBS News on Saturday.
A spokesperson for London’s Metropolitan Police said they “don’t confirm or comment on the identity of anyone arrested who has not been charged with a criminal offence”.
“The Met complies with strict codes of practice under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act in relation to the detention of people in custody,” the spokesperson said.
“Anyone who wishes to complain about their treatment by the Metropolitan Police can contact the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards or the UK Independent Office for Police Conduct.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) confirmed to SBS News that it had offered consular assistance to Mr Pavlou, who was arrested and then subsequently released.
Mr Pavlou said he was detained for 23 hours before being released at 3pm the next day.
“Officials from Australia’s High Commission in London will raise Mr Pavlou’s claim that he was denied consular access before being released with UK authorities,” the DFAT spokesperson
“Owing to our privacy obligations, we cannot provide further details.”
Mr Pavlou said that while his passport was returned, he was strongly recommended to remain in the UK until 14 August when he is required to attend the police station.
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Mr Pavlou travelled to London, where she described the claims of her silence as a “huge misunderstanding” and that she “never disappeared”.
“This was supposed to be a one-week holiday to help support the Wimbledon Peng Shuai campaign. Talk about a holiday from hell,” Mr Pavlou said.
Chief executive and co-founder of prominent group Hong Kong Watch Benedict Rogers has thrown support behind Mr Pavlou, describing Mr Pavlou’s experience as a “totally absurd and outrageous injustice”.
“@DrewPavlou is a totally peaceful young man who heroically devotes his energies to highlighting #UyghurGenocide, #Tibet, the dismantling of #HongKong’s freedoms & #China’s #CCP repression,” Mr Rogers tweeted.
“He should be applauded, not arrested.”
SBS News has requested comment from the Chinese embassy in the UK.
