In brief
Hong Kong police seized books from two independent shops and arrested five individuals for distributing material linked to a seditious intent. Officials say the titles incite hatred against the government, judiciary and law enforcement and could lead to up to seven years in prison. The raids, part of three such operations in 2026, come amid growing fear of censorship and the curtailment of free speech following the national security law. The government stated the business owners were still under investigation and have not been named publicly.
Hong Kong police seized books from two independent shops and arrested five individuals for distributing material linked to a seditious intent. Authorities said the publications incite hatred against the territory’s government, judiciary and law‑enforcement agencies.
The group—two men aged 37 and 57 and three women aged 30, 45 and 59—are suspected of violating the national security legislation by acting with seditious intent. If convicted, they could face up to seven years in prison.
Officers led a woman in handcuffs from the “Have a Nice Stay” bookshop, one of the 2022‑established stores that sells works on democracy, authoritarianism and media literacy. The shop is located in densely populated Mong Kok and announced a planned closure in August citing financial constraints and a vague “red line” that determines problematic material.
Police also targeted the nearby Greenfield Book Store, which, with its Facebook page, says it stocks books from Hong Kong and Taiwan covering literature, history, philosophy, art, sociology and self‑improvement. Neither shop will participate in this year’s Hong Kong Book Fair.
This is the third raid in 2026. Earlier the year, authorities arrested two workers from the Hunter store in June and four from Book Punch in March, signalling a tightening of enforcement against book distributors.
Amnesty International condemned the raids, stating they demonstrate “the chilling reality of what the city has become: a place where you can be criminalised simply for what’s on your bookshelf.” The organisation warned that uncertainty over “red lines” causes booksellers and writers to self‑censor amidst potential criminal investigations, arrests or closures.
