Causeway Bay Books disappearances
The Causeway Bay Books disappearances are a series of international disappearances concerning five staff members of Causeway Bay Books, a former bookstore located in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Between October and December 2015, five staff of Causeway Bay Books went missing. At least two of them disappeared in mainland China, one in Thailand. One member was last seen in Hong Kong, and eventually revealed to be in Shenzhen, across the Chinese border, without the travel documents necessary to have crossed the border through legal channels.
The entrance of Causeway Bay Books. It has been closed since the disappearance of its fifth staff member, Lee Bo.
Kacey Wong (with tape over mouth) at the protest against booksellers' disappearances on 10 January. Above the red noose are Chinese characters for "abduction".
Causeway Bay Books is an independent bookstore in Taipei, Taiwan, which until December 2015 was an upstairs bookstore located in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. The first bookstore in Hong Kong was popular with tourists from mainland China looking for books on Chinese politics and politicians which were not available in mainland China. In late 2015, five people associated with the store disappeared, sparking international concern. The first bookstore closed after the disappearance of its last staff member, Lee Bo, in December 2015. A second version of the bookstore was opened in Taipei, Taiwan in April 2020 by Lam Wing-kee, the founder of the original Hong Kong store and one of the five people who disappeared.
The original bookstore at 531 Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Showcase at street level
Stairwell with bookstore posters
The first bookstore's gate was drawn in December 2015 after the disappearance of its last staff member, Lee Bo. This site has since been abandoned.