ZCZC
BFF-47
SWEDEN-MEDIA-CHINA-POLITICS
37 Swedish dailies urge China to free detained publisher
STOCKHOLM, June 5, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Dozens of Swedish newspapers called
Tuesday on China to release publisher Gui Minhai, a Chinese-born Swede who
vanished into Chinese custody in January in murky circumstances for the
second time.
Gui, one of five Hong Kong-based booksellers known for publishing gossipy
titles about Chinese political leaders, was arrested on a train to Beijing in
January while travelling with two Swedish diplomats.
He was reportedly en route to see a Swedish specialist over fears he had
the neurological disease ALS.
“The Chinese authorities’ actions against Gui Minhai violate basic legal
principles and constitute a serious violation of human rights,” said an
article published by 37 dailies, including the two national broadsheets
Svenska Dagbladet and Dagens Nyheter.
It was signed by prominent Swedish academics, editors, journalists,
politicians and actors.
“Ahead of Sweden’s national holiday tomorrow, we now urge the Chinese
authorities to immediately release Gui Minhai.”
“China is a superpower that has vast economic, political and cultural
influence on the world. Its leaders in Beijing have made it clear they are
ready to play a leading and responsible role in the world,” the article said.
“They often refer to their proud cultural history as an asset for China
and the rest of the world. Their actions against Gui Minhai are in sharp
contrast to the leaders’ proud declarations.”
Gui first disappeared in 2015 and resurfaced in mainland China.
He was on holiday in Thailand at the time of his first arrest and
eventually surfaced at an undisclosed location in China, confessing to
involvement in a fatal traffic accident and smuggling illegal books into the
mainland.
Chinese authorities declared they had released him in October 2017 but his
daughter Angela Gui, 23, told AFP at the time that he was under “loose house
arrest” in Ningbo.
After his second disappearance into police custody, Gui appeared in a
video interview in February confessing to wrongdoing and accusing his adopted
country Sweden of manipulating him like a “chess piece”. It was unclear
whether the Chinese-born Gui’s statement was made under duress, but video of
his confession showed him flanked by two police officers. A close friend said
the remarks were “not to be believed.”
The Chinese embassy in Sweden said in February that Gui was being held in
a detention centre in the city.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1500 hrs