Help ruled out for 45 held on mainland

Forty-five Hong Kong people are being held against their will on the mainland, according to the security chief.

Secretary for Security Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee said claims by human rights groups on Sunday that at least 85 Hong Kong residents were in jail on the mainland, mostly over business disputes, were wrong.

She said the Government had received 86 cases relating to Hong Kong people detained on the mainland.

But 41 had been freed and returned to the territory.

Mrs Ip said the others had either been jailed or were in detention awaiting sentencing.

'The SAR Government, of course, can't do anything about these residents because they have to go through the judicial process on the mainland,' she said.