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European Parliament resolution on the 10th anniversary of the detention of jailed Swedish publisher Gui Minhai in China

B100433/2025

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the 10th anniversary of the detention of jailed Swedish publisher Gui Minhai in China

(2025/2906(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation of human rights in China,

– having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

having regard to the 40th EU-China Human Rights Dialogue held in Brussels on 13 June 2025, during which the EU called for the immediate release of Gui Minhai;

A. whereas Swedish citizen Gui Minhai, publisher and co-owner of the Mighty Current publishing house in Hong Kong, known for publishing works critical of the Chinese leadership, was abducted in Thailand in October 2015 and subsequently detained in China; whereas his abduction was part of a broader crackdown by China against Hong Kong-based publishers;

having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

B. whereas in February 2020, a Chinese court sentenced Gui Minhai to 10 years in prison on charges of ‘illegally providing intelligence abroad’, after a secret and unfair trial; whereas he has been denied proper legal representation and access to Swedish consular services; whereas his current whereabouts are still unknown;

whereas Gui Minhai, a Swedish citizen of Chinese origin, co-founder of Mighty Current Media and shareholder of the Causeway Bay Bookstore in Hong Kong - known for publishing works critical of the Chinese leadership - was abducted in Pattaya, Thailand, on 17 October 2015;

C. whereas Gui Minhai continues to be denied family contact, raising serious concerns about his state of health after a decade of detention;

whereas Gui Minhai has been detained for nearly ten years, with his current whereabouts still unknown;

1. Reiterates its call for the immediate and unconditional release of Gui Minhai; notes with deep concern the forthcoming tenth anniversary of his abduction and detention, and reiterates its strongest condemnation of his abduction, arbitrary arrest, detention and sentencing;

whereas his fundamental rights have been repeatedly violated, including the denial of family visits, legal representation, and adequate medical care since 2018;

2. Expresses solidarity with Gui Minhai’s family, in particular with his daughter Angela Gui, who continues to advocate tirelessly for his release;

whereas in February 2020, Chinese authorities sentenced Gui Minhai to 10 years in prison on politically motivated charges, following a trial which was in clear violation of international standards of due process;

3. Stresses that the denial of consular access to Gui Minhai constitutes a violation of China’s obligations under the Vienna Convention; expresses serious concern about Gui Minhai’s health and treatment in detention; calls on the Chinese authorities to allow him immediate access to independent medical care of his own choosing, as well as unhindered access to his family, a legal representative of his choice and consular officials;

whereas Sweden has repeatedly requested consular access under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, which China has consistently denied;

4. Stresses that this case exemplifies the pattern of systemic and transnational repression, censorship and violations of fundamental freedoms seen in China, including against lawyers, journalists, artists, human rights defenders, ethnic and religious minorities, and foreign citizens;

whereas in June 2021, the Swedish Government, after demands from the Swedish Parliament, appointed a commission tasked with investigating cases of Swedish citizens arbitrarily detained abroad, including the serious and concerning case of Gui Minhai;

5. Underlines that mutual trust and respect for human rights, including the right to freedom of expression, press freedom and the right to publish, should be at the core of EU-China relations;

Reiterates its call for the immediate and unconditional release of Gui Minhai, as well as all other publishers and booksellers still detained in China;

6. Calls on China to end the censorship, harassment and intimidation of publishers, writers, journalists and academics;

Calls on the Chinese authorities to immediately comply with their international obligations and ensure Gui Minhai’s unhindered access to his family, legal representative of his choice, consular officials and adequate medical care;

7. Urges the Chinese authorities to end the practice of arbitrary detention and forced confessions, and to immediately release all those detained for exercising fundamental freedoms, including lawyers, journalists, artists, minority representatives and human rights defenders;

Expresses profound concerns over his unlawful detention and the lack of transparency with regard to his whereabouts and health; draws attention to widespread concerns that Gui Minhai might be at risk of torture and ill-treatment;

8. Calls on the EEAS, the Commission and the Member States to continue raising his case at all levels of EU-China relations, ensure the protection of EU citizens abroad, and urge China to release Gui Minhai and provide information on his condition and whereabouts;

Strongly condemns China’s pattern of enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, politically motivated trials, forced confessions, and other severe human rights violations;

9. Strongly urges China to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;

Recalls that the independence of writers, publishers, journalists and bloggers must be protected at all times; calls on the Chinese authorities to refrain from all forms of political intimidation and repression against them;

10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the VP/HR, the EU Member States, and the Government and National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China.

Deplores any restrictions limiting the freedom of expression, including internet censorship, and urges the Chinese Government to halt all attempts at curtailing the free flow of information;

Underlines that EU-China relations must be based on mutual trust, transparency and respect for human rights; insists that Gui Minhai’s case be raised systematically in bilateral and multilateral dialogues;

Expresses solidarity with Gui Minhai’s family, in particular his daughter Angela Gui, who continues to advocate tirelessly for his release;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the VP/HR, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Government and Parliament of the People’s Republic of China, and the Chief Executive and the Assembly of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.