This archive report was first published on 24 August 2019.
On August 24, 2019, the Public Security Bureau of Shenzhen's Luohu District announced that Simon Cheng, a 28-year-old trade officer for Britain's consulate in Hong Kong, had been released from detention in mainland China.
Cheng had gone missing on August 8, 2019, during a business trip to Shenzhen, a mainland Chinese city bordering Hong Kong. His family and girlfriend reported that he had disappeared, sparking fears that China had detained him as a warning to protesters or to Britain, which has expressed support for the pro-democracy movement.
According to a statement on Weibo, a social platform, Cheng had confessed to unlawful activities and was released after his 15-day detention ended. However, the statement did not specify what the alleged unlawful activities were.
Cheng's family confirmed that he had safely returned to Hong Kong and had 'no external injury.' They also stated that neither he nor the family would speak to the news media for now, saying 'Please let Simon rest.'
Cheng's disappearance had raised concerns about China's intentions, particularly in the context of the ongoing protests in Hong Kong. A Chinese state-run newspaper had previously reported that Cheng had been detained for soliciting prostitutes, but a friend dismissed this as untrue.
