Hong Kong official warns booksellers on security risks after raids
Police said the five suspects sold books that could endanger national security as authorities rejected calls for a banned-books list.
- On Wednesday, Hong Kong police raided Have a Nice Stay and Greenfield Bookstore, arresting five people on suspicion of displaying and selling items with seditious intent.
- This operation marks the third round of arrests targeting independent bookstores this year, reflecting the increasingly challenging environment under the 2024 national security law.
- Security Secretary Chris Tang stated on Thursday that authorities will not provide a list of banned books, asserting booksellers bear responsibility to ensure their stock does not breach the law.
- Comparing bookselling to food safety, Tang insisted vendors must ensure goods are not illegal, even as Have a Nice Stay announced plans to close in August citing unclear red lines.
- Amnesty International's Asia deputy regional director Sarah Brooks said sedition offenses are being weaponized to silence dissenting voices and eradicate spaces for free thought in the city.
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Five booksellers from China-controlled territory were arrested on 15 July for publishing "seditious" books, a message sent to the sector by the authorities, who never published a list of banned books, and a way of making fear reign.
HK defends recent arrests
Hong Kong ’s top security official on Thursday said booksellers should ensure the titles they sell do not harm national security, a day after five people linked to two bookstores were arrested.The police operation on Wednesday was the third round of arrests targeting independent bookstores within fo
There is a book fair underway in Hong Kong, which the Chinese-controlled administration does not want independent bookstores to participate in.
The Hong Kong authorities are becoming more and more radical: two men and three women are said to have sold publications in their stores with "state-hazardous content" and the pressure on independent booksellers is growing.
‘Law is clear’: Booksellers must ensure books are lawful, says security chief after arrests – but won’t give list of banned titles
Hong Kong’s security chief has said booksellers have the responsibility to ensure the titles they sell do not threaten national security, following this week's raids on two shops and the arrest of five people.
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