or sophie richardson is china director for human rights watch. i asked what she thought this relaxation of corona virus restrictions tells us. i think it reflects some level of official awareness of popular unhappiness about the restrictions. what do you think it remains to be seen? whether those relaxations actually will happen, whether people believe that they are happening and whether the authorities change their mind real pose. the stricter constraints, if in the case number search during these protests, what we have seen is people identified a via facial recognition systems of people being arrested for their protests. do we know what happens to many demonstrators who are that identified and detained? it's early days and so the, the information that we have is really anecdotal, that people, some people have been detained and are likely to be charged. you know, and some of the authorities favorite charges like picking corals and stirring up troubles. but i think there's a lot that we don't yet know about whether the authorities will impose lon

let's take a look at this re sophie richardson who's china director for human rights watch in new york, or welcome to d. w. was interesting that when this announcement was made, there was no direct connection made between the protests and this new phase. what do you think this relaxation following these protest actually tells us about what's going on? i think it reflects some level of official awareness of popular unhappiness about the cubic restrictions. what do you think it remains to be seen? whether the 3 lactation is actually will happen, whether people believe that they are happening and whether it be authority to change their mind. reimpose, the stricter constraints, if in the case number, the surgeon during these protests, what we have seen is people identified via facial recognition systems, a people being arrested for their protests. do we know what happens to the many demonstrators who are then identified and detained? it's early days and so the, the information that we have is really anecdotal, that people, some people have been detained and are likely to be charged. and so

. >> all of these were precious and sophie richardson have been documenting.form of validation there was a recent un report on this. that did confirm these are crimes against humanity which we it human rights watch have said. with that said this process of documenting, comes at a cost. not just the millions incarcerated and ready but also for those of you reporting on it. both of you are no longer a persona non- brought today. you are bounced out. if the process going to report this mostly been hideously difficult. i would love to hear a little bit more abouthe it. what does this mean question was the costt evolve? how to go places that have your car pulled over the people you spoke to five minutes pro interrogated? how did that work how to operate? works there was a real challenge. it's on the reasons weca drove into the figured the airport would be crawling with even more surveillance. but actually you're driving around 20 mention not getting pulled over. one instance ind remember very clearly my colleague at night the timer driving getting lost. it's a real

organizations, nonprofits and some of my very colleagues to at human rights watch like maya wong and sophy richardson happened document have now in some sense it feels it feels like some some form of validate and perhaps in a way that there was a recent u.n. report on this that sort of you know that's that did confirm that these are, you know, quite lightly crimes against humanity, which is what we at human rights watch have said. but that said, this process of documenting, writing about this comes at a terrific cost, not just to unfortunately, to the to the millions who are incarcerated, but also for those of you reporting on it, both of you are no longer i think, a sort of persona non grata in china. i take it you about sort and even the process, i imagine of going to report this, you know, in a very soviet country must have been hideously difficult. so maybe i'd love to hear a little bit more about and i think our readers would, too. what does this mean? what was the cost involved? how did you even get to go places you know, without having your car pulled over? you're you're people that you've jus