NGO concerned about South China Morning Post reporter Minnie Chan, 3 years after apparent disappearance

Global watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has expressed apprehension over the vanishing of South China Morning Post (SCMP) correspondent Minnie Chan, now three years since her disappearance. Chan, recognized for her work on defense affairs, was last seen in October 2023 while reporting on the Xiangshan Forum, a security conference in Beijing.

The French-based NGO reported that there has been no update on Chan's whereabouts, suggesting she might be held by the Chinese regime on undisclosed national-security charges, potentially facing up to a decade in prison. RSF could not confirm this information or locate any concrete evidence of her detention.

Aleksandra Bielakowska, RSF's Asia-Pacific Bureau Advocacy Officer, emphasized the urgency of publicizing Chan's situation and securing her release, stating that she "does not belong in a Chinese prison." When queried about Chan in 2023, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, claimed ignorance of the matter. RSF attempted to obtain information from the SCMP regarding Chan's current employment status, detention confirmation, charges, and support arrangements. However, as of publication, the SCMP had not responded.

The SCMP also resisted HKFP's inquiries on the matter, threatening legal action following the outlet's initial coverage of Chan's disappearance, without denying the report. The paper claimed journalist safety was paramount and had no additional information to reveal. China, according to RSF, houses the world's largest journalist prison, holding over 100 individuals.

Other notable journalist disappearances in China include Haze Fan, a Chinese Bloomberg reporter, who was released on bail in 2022 after his 2020 disappearance, and Cheng Lei, an Australian journalist held in 2020, released in 2023. Hong Kong bookseller Gui Minhai vanished in Thailand in 2015, subsequently imprisoned in China.