Swedish Court Finds Ex-envoy to China Not Guilty in Gui Minhai Case

Former Swedish ambassador to China Anna Lindstedt arrives at the district court where she is accused of overstepping her mandate by trying to negotiate the release of a Chinese-Swedish dissident held in China, in Stockholm, Sweden, on June 5, 2020. Janerik Henriksson/TT News Agency via Reuters

STOCKHOLM—A Swedish court on Friday found a former ambassador to China not guilty of exceeding her authority in dealings with a foreign power in connection with a meeting aimed at helping free bookseller Gui Minhai.

The envoy, Anna Lindstedt, was replaced in the post after she took part in the meeting in Stockholm in January 2019. The Swedish foreign ministry said it had not authorized the meeting and that she acted against Swedish policy by taking part.