Hong Kong Authorities Detain Bookstore Workers Over Banned Biography Sales

Four employees at a Hong Kong bookstore were taken into custody for allegedly distributing prohibited materials, including a biography about imprisoned media mogul Jimmy Lai. The arrests highlight the ongoing enforcement of national security laws that criminalize seditious publications in the territory.

Authorities in Hong Kong detained four bookstore employees on Tuesday for allegedly distributing materials deemed seditious, including a biographical work about imprisoned media mogul Jimmy Lai, according to local broadcaster TVB.

The detained individuals include Pong Yat-ming, who owns the Book Punch store, along with three employees. They face accusations of selling copies of “The Troublemaker,” a biographical account of Lai written by Mark Clifford, one of his former business associates, TVB reported.

Lai established the now-closed pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily and received a 20-year prison sentence in February following his conviction for conspiring with foreign entities and sedition in what authorities called the territory’s most significant national security prosecution.

When contacted about the reported detentions, a police representative declined to provide specific details but stated that law enforcement “will take actions according to actual circumstances and in accordance with the law.”

A sign posted at the bookstore’s entrance stated: “Resting for a day due to emergency, sorry for the inconvenience.”

Reuters was unable to contact Pong immediately and could not confirm whether he or the staff members faced formal charges.

Clifford, who currently resides in New York and previously served as a director at Lai’s Next Digital media company, told Reuters he was unaware of the detentions. “If true, it’s a sad and ironic commentary that selling a book on a man who is in jail for his activities as a journalist, for promoting free expression, would be subject to sedition,” he said.

The local national security legislation, referred to as Article 23, establishes penalties of up to seven years imprisonment for sedition, with sentences extending to a decade when the offense involves collaboration with an “external force.”

Beijing implemented comprehensive national security laws in the territory during 2020, with Hong Kong and Chinese authorities stating the new regulations were necessary to restore order following months of pro-democracy demonstrations that disrupted the city in 2019.

As part of continued efforts to suppress dissent, the territorial government published new amendments Monday to the implementation guidelines for Beijing’s imposed legislation, granting customs officials authority to confiscate materials considered to have “seditious intention.”

The updated measures also authorize police officers with magistrate-approved warrants to compel individuals suspected of violating national security laws to surrender mobile phone or computer passwords, with refusal resulting in imprisonment and financial penalties.