Bookseller held on suspicion of endangering national security

Gui Minhai, a Swedish national and Hong Kong bookseller, was detained again recently over suspected violations of Chinese law, about three months after his release from a Chinese prison. Gui was freed on Oct 17 after completing a two-year sentence for a drunken driving incident in which a person was killed more than a decade ago. He turned himself in to police on the mainland in 2015.

While Chinese authorities continued an investigation of Gui's suspected illegal business operation, by law he was not allowed to leave the country.

"When I was released, my illegal business operation case had not been concluded. I resumed an inmate's life, for which to a large extent I have the Swedish government and you to thank," said Gui in a letter to the Swedish ambassador in Beijing on Jan 27.

After his release, Gui said in a letter of commitment to police in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, that he would continue cooperating with authorities on the investigation into the illegal business and would inform authorities if he was leaving the city.

On Jan 20, however, Gui, accompanied by two Swedish diplomats, suddenly arrived in Shanghai in a car with diplomatic license plates and then boarded a high-speed train bound for Beijing.

According to police, Gui had with him materials with information concerning State secrets and that he was suspected of illegally providing State secrets and intelligence overseas and endangering State security.

Police contacted him repeatedly and demanded he return for questioning, but the accompanying Swedish diplomats asked Gui to refuse to cooperate. When the high-speed train stopped at Jinan West Railway Station in Shandong province, police removed Gui and placed him under custody, as prescribed by law.

Some overseas media and Western countries, such as Sweden, have pointed fingers at China regarding Gui's case, accusing China of breaching international norms and interfering with consular affairs.

On Feb 9, Gui applied to authorities for permission to tell the media the truth. Xinhua reporters interviewed him at his detention site in Ningbo.

"When I was in Sweden, they paid little attention to me. I felt I was not recognized by local Swedes," said Gui. "The Swedish have done this just out of their political purposes and to meet the need of some political figures for the 2018 elections in Sweden."

Gui said he has Swedish nationality, but he did not live in Sweden almost for the past decade. Instead, he lived in Germany. It was just after he surrendered to Chinese police and especially his release that the Swedish government began to pay special attention to him, he said.

"I do not want the Swedish side to continue hyping up my case. I have seen through the Swedish government. I may consider giving up my Swedish nationality if it continues to do so," Gui said.

"Under Sweden's continual instigation, I broke the law again. My happy life was destroyed," said Gui. "I just simply hope that my family will not be taken advantage of and I can stay in China to live a peaceful life."

During the three months after his release, Gui lived in a rented house in Ningbo and attended to his aged mother with his three sisters.

To stay with his mother, Gui applied to local police for a residence permit, which was approved.

Shortly after, the Swedish side began contacting Gui frequently and attempting to get him to leave China, dispatching consulate staff to Ningbo to persuade him and propose plans to go with them to Sweden.

"I have lost trust in the Swedish government. I hope to handle my issue on my own," he said.

On Jan 20, shortly after Gui's arrest, public security authorities informed the Swedish embassy of Gui's case through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Chinese foreign affairs authorities also informed their Swedish counterparts about Gui's case.

On Jan 30, the Ningbo Public Security Bureau visited the Consulate General of Sweden in Shanghai to inform them on Gui's case and his recent condition, and delivered Gui's letter to the ambassador.