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Missing Hong Kong bookseller 'in Chinese detention' | Missing Hong Kong bookseller 'in Chinese detention' |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A Hong Kong bookseller who went missing several days ago is thought to be in detention in mainland China. | A Hong Kong bookseller who went missing several days ago is thought to be in detention in mainland China. |
The wife of Lee Bo said her husband had called her from a telephone number in Shenzhen to say he was helping with an investigation. | The wife of Lee Bo said her husband had called her from a telephone number in Shenzhen to say he was helping with an investigation. |
Mr Lee is the fifth person linked to the same bookshop to go missing in the past two months. | Mr Lee is the fifth person linked to the same bookshop to go missing in the past two months. |
The case has raised fears that China is undermining Hong Kong's legal independence. | The case has raised fears that China is undermining Hong Kong's legal independence. |
Demonstrators held a small rally outside Beijing's representative office in Hong Kong on Sunday to protest at Mr Lee's disappearance. | Demonstrators held a small rally outside Beijing's representative office in Hong Kong on Sunday to protest at Mr Lee's disappearance. |
One of protesters, Raphael Wong, said: "Freedom of [a] person is inviolable. If the central government arrest a Hong Kong resident and [take them] back to mainland China, this is a threat to our freedom of press and also freedom of speech." | One of protesters, Raphael Wong, said: "Freedom of [a] person is inviolable. If the central government arrest a Hong Kong resident and [take them] back to mainland China, this is a threat to our freedom of press and also freedom of speech." |
Meanwhile, a separate demonstration has been held in Hong Kong to protest at the appointment of a pro-Beijing official to the territory's main university. | |
Arthur Li was selected by the territory's leader, CY Leung, to chair Hong Kong University's governing council. | |
Protesting teachers and students view the appointment as a sign of growing political interference in the territory's education system. | |
Not back soon | Not back soon |
Lee Bo went missing last Wednesday when he went to a warehouse in Hong Kong to collect a consignment of books. | |
The authorities in the territory do not appear to know where he is. | The authorities in the territory do not appear to know where he is. |
Carrie Lam, Hong Kong's chief secretary, said in a statement on Saturday that she was concerned about reports that the bookseller had gone missing. | Carrie Lam, Hong Kong's chief secretary, said in a statement on Saturday that she was concerned about reports that the bookseller had gone missing. |
The only clue to his whereabouts have come from his wife, Sophie Choi, who said she had received several short telephone calls from her husband. | The only clue to his whereabouts have come from his wife, Sophie Choi, who said she had received several short telephone calls from her husband. |
"He said he wouldn't be back so soon and he was assisting in an investigation," she is reported to have told Hong Kong's Cable Television. | "He said he wouldn't be back so soon and he was assisting in an investigation," she is reported to have told Hong Kong's Cable Television. |
She said the telephone number of the calls suggested they were made in Shenzhen, a city on the Chinese mainland just across the border from Hong Kong. | She said the telephone number of the calls suggested they were made in Shenzhen, a city on the Chinese mainland just across the border from Hong Kong. |
Mr Lee is the fifth person associated with the Causeway Bay Bookstore to go missing. | Mr Lee is the fifth person associated with the Causeway Bay Bookstore to go missing. |
Two of the other four men were last seen in Shenzhen, where their wives live; one was last seen in Hong Kong; and the other, the owner of a publishing house linked to the bookstore, was last heard from by email from Pattaya, Thailand, where he owns a holiday home. | Two of the other four men were last seen in Shenzhen, where their wives live; one was last seen in Hong Kong; and the other, the owner of a publishing house linked to the bookstore, was last heard from by email from Pattaya, Thailand, where he owns a holiday home. |
Mr Lee spoke to the BBC when his four colleagues went missing, but was so worried about reprisals from China that he declined to give his full name. | Mr Lee spoke to the BBC when his four colleagues went missing, but was so worried about reprisals from China that he declined to give his full name. |
There is no official word on why the five are missing, but the bookshop they are all linked to stocks publications critical of the Chinese government. | There is no official word on why the five are missing, but the bookshop they are all linked to stocks publications critical of the Chinese government. |
Chinese government critics on the mainland frequently disappear without a word, only to re-appear later in police detention. | Chinese government critics on the mainland frequently disappear without a word, only to re-appear later in police detention. |
But this is a new development for Hong Kong, which was allowed to keep its own political and legal system when Britain handed back the territory to China in 1997. | But this is a new development for Hong Kong, which was allowed to keep its own political and legal system when Britain handed back the territory to China in 1997. |
Some see these latest disappearances as a sign that China is using shadowy tactics to undermine Hong Kong's independence. | Some see these latest disappearances as a sign that China is using shadowy tactics to undermine Hong Kong's independence. |
At a media conference, Democratic Party lawmaker Albert Ho said people in Hong Kong were shocked and appalled. | At a media conference, Democratic Party lawmaker Albert Ho said people in Hong Kong were shocked and appalled. |
"We have strong reason to believe Mr Lee was kidnapped and smuggled back to the mainland for political investigation," he said. | "We have strong reason to believe Mr Lee was kidnapped and smuggled back to the mainland for political investigation," he said. |
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