Sweden has recalled its ambassador to China, Anna Lindstedt, and placed her under investigation, the Swedish Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
Lindstedt is being investigated for her actions taken on behalf of Gui Minhai, a Swedish-Chinese citizen currently detained in China, a ministry spokesman told dpa
A second spokesman told dpa that Lindstedt had acted “wrongly’’ but would be allowed to explain her behaviour.
Gui is one of five Hong Kong publishers specialising in books banned in China, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances in 2015.
All five later showed up in China detention. Gui is the only one still behind bars.
His Britain-based daughter, Angela Gui, published a blog post in which she described a “bizarre’’ meeting arranged by Lindstedt in Stockholm, two weeks ago.
Lindstedt allegedly flew to Sweden and orchestrated an off-the-books meeting between Angela Gui and businessmen with ties to the Communist Party of China.
The unnamed businessmen promised to help secure her father’s release, although they and the ambassador said she must stop speaking to the media, according to Angela Gui’s post.
Lindstedt allegedly promised to discuss the positive nature of Chinese-Swedish relations if Gui Minhai was released, the blog post said.