Hong Kong bookseller and publisher linked to Causeway Bay Books
Independent bookstores in Hong Kong have faced a third round of arrests under the 2024 national security law, with two shops raided and five people arrested for suspected displaying and selling seditious materials. Authorities say the operation targets materials that incite hatred toward the government, judiciary and police. The decoupled sales of such titles have intensified amid ongoing questions about freedom of expression in the city.
Hong Kong courts have sentenced Lee Cheuk-yan to seven years, Chow Hang-tung to seven years and three months, and Albert Ho to five years and two months for inciting subversion under the Beijing-imposed national security law. The convictions and a HK$1.5m fine for the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance have drawn condemnation from the UN, rights groups and foreign governments.