Remaining three missing Hong Kong booksellers surface in mainland China, accused of ‘illegal activities’

Guangdong police confirmed on Thursday for the first time that three Hong Kong booksellers who had not been heard of since they went missing last October were being investigated in mainland China.

They also told Hong Kong ­police that missing Causeway Bay Books owner Lee Po, who is also on the mainland, had rejected their request to meet him.

READ MORE: Causeway Bay Books remains closed despite claim by Lee Po’s wife: four booksellers still missing, presumed detained

After Gui Minhai, another bookseller missing since October, earlier said on state TV that he had turned himself in over a fatal ­accident he was involved in 12 years ago, the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department said on Thursday night that his three ­colleagues were suspected to be involved in Gui’s case and were also “involved in illegal activities on the mainland”.

This was the first time Guangdong police had confirmed that Lui Por, Cheung Chi-ping and Lam Wing-kee were in custody on the mainland.

READ MORE: Missing Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing-kee is a ‘super book lover’ who used to be boss of Causeway Bay Books

“Criminal compulsory measures were imposed on them and they were under investigation,” Guangdong police wrote in a letter to their Hong Kong counterparts.

They enclosed a letter from Lee stating that relevant authorities had informed him of a request by Hong Kong police to meet with him on the mainland. He wrote that he “did not need to meet with them at the moment” and would contact them if he wished to do so. Lee’s wife confirmed his handwriting when she was shown the letter.