Secretary for Security TK Lai says the Government attaches great importance to the missing persons case associated with a Causeway Bay bookshop and fully understands the community's concerns, adding that Police are conducting a comprehensive investigation.
He told legislators today Police are gathering evidence and looking for clues from various sources to understand the circumstances of the case, its background and the course of events. The investigation also covers locations where the missing people might have been, according to informants.
Police have been maintaining contact with the families involved who are Hong Kong residents.
Since 2001 the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has, by way of an administrative arrangement and on the basis of mutual respect for the laws of both sides, put in place a reciprocal notification mechanism with the Mainland in respect of cases involving unnatural deaths and imposition of criminal compulsory measures on residents from the other side, so that notification can be made as soon as practicable.
Since the operation of the mechanism to the end of last year more than 12,000 notifications involving more than 9,400 Hong Kong residents have been made by Mainland authorities to the Hong Kong side.
In respect of the bookstore case, Police have received a reply from the Interpol Guangdong Liaison Office of the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department.
Mr Lai reiterated that the SAR Government is concerned about the rights and safety of Hong Kong residents in or outside Hong Kong, and Police will continue to spare no effort in the investigation. However, to avoid hindering the inquiry, they cannot yet disclose the case details.
He appealed to people with information on the cases to call Police on 6764 4385.
