Hong Kong authorities have arrested two journalists and three other individuals in the latest use of national security legislation against independent publishers, reinforcing concerns over the continued erosion of press freedom and freedom of expression in the city.
On July 15, officers from Hong Kong’s National Security Department raided two bookstores in the Mong Kok district and arrested five people on suspicion of violating the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. Authorities allege the group displayed materials with “seditious intent” and sold publications containing “seditious content,” leading to the seizure of numerous books during the operation. All five remain in custody while investigations continue.
Among those detained are journalists Sum Wan-wah and Mandy Lau, co-founders of Have a Nice Stay, an independent bookstore established in 2022 after they and several colleagues lost their journalism positions amid Hong Kong’s worsening media environment. The bookstore was created by former reporters, including journalists from the now-defunct independent outlet Stand News, with the aim of promoting journalism, literary reporting, and independent thought.
In 2023, the bookstore expanded its mission by launching the online magazine Leave Blank, a platform intended to preserve independent journalism and provide space for former reporters to continue their work despite the increasingly restrictive environment.
According to police, the investigation centers on publications that allegedly incited hatred against the Hong Kong government, the judiciary, and law enforcement agencies. Among the books reportedly seized was “Let Only Red Flowers Bloom: Identity and Belonging in Xi Jinping’s China,” written by National Public Radio journalist Emily Feng, highlighting concerns that legitimate journalistic and academic works are increasingly being treated as threats to national security.
The arrests form part of a broader crackdown that has intensified since Beijing imposed the National Security Law on Hong Kong in 2020, followed by the enactment of the city’s Article 23 national security legislation in 2024. Since then, journalists, publishers, booksellers, and independent cultural organizations have faced growing legal pressure, with publishing and reporting activities increasingly prosecuted under national security provisions.
The case follows another recent incident involving Leticia Wong Man-huen, owner of Hunter Bookstore, who was arrested last month on allegations related to selling seditious publications and receiving foreign funding before being released on bail pending further investigation.
According to CPJ’s latest global research, China remains the world’s leading jailer of journalists, with at least 50 media professionals currently imprisoned in connection with their work, underscoring the broader regional pattern of repression against independent journalism.
At Free Press Alliance, we strongly condemn the continued use of national security legislation to criminalize journalism, publishing, and the peaceful circulation of information in Hong Kong. Arresting journalists and independent booksellers for distributing publications poses a grave threat to freedom of expression, academic inquiry, and the public’s right to access diverse viewpoints. We call on Hong Kong authorities to immediately release Sum Wan-wah, Mandy Lau, and all others detained solely for their journalistic or publishing activities, and to end the misuse of national security laws to silence independent voices.