Upon his arrival, six police officers apprehended him, and he was held and interrogated for almost 24 hours, Al Mayadeen reported.
In a video posted on X, Richard Medhurst described his experience at Heathrow Airport in distressing detail. He revealed that one officer seized his phone, preventing him from notifying his family.
Medhurst was subjected to two searches within ten minutes, and his belongings, including journalistic equipment, were thoroughly ransacked.
The prominent journalist was placed in a solitary confinement cell that he deemed unfit for human habitation and was monitored by cameras even while using the restroom. Medhurst expressed that the entire ordeal seemed designed to "intimidate, humiliate, and dehumanize him," despite his clear identity as a journalist.
Additionally, many of his basic requests, including for water, were significantly delayed, further adding to his distress.
"This was done on purpose to rattle me psychologically..... I am not a terrorist and I am a product of the diplomatic community and I was raised to be anti-war," he stressed.
"I condemn terrorism," he added.
MNA