HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong bookstore owner and his staff were reportedly arrested on suspicion of selling seditious publications, including a biography of jailed pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, sparking fresh concerns about the city's eroding freedoms.
Separately, officials on Tuesday ordered three companies linked to Lai's now-shuttered newspaper, Apple Daily, removed from the city's companies registry. A government statement said the companies were
dissolved and became “prohibited organizations,” warning that anyone associating with them would violate a national security law introduced in 2024.
Lai and the three newly de-registered companies — Apple Daily Limited, Apple Daily Printing Limited, and AD internet Limited — were convicted in December of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security. They were also found guilty of conspiring with others to publish seditious materials under a separate sedition law.
Lai was sentenced last month to 20 years in prison and the three companies were each fined more than 3 million Hong Kong dollars (about $384,000.)
Critics said the authorities’ latest moves associated with Lai sent further chills to the former British colony, which was promised a degree of civil liberties when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
Local media, including broadcaster TVB and the South China Morning Post, reported Tuesday that independent bookstore owner Pong Yat-ming and three staffers at his shop, Book Punch, were arrested on suspicion of selling seditious publications. The reports, which cited unidentified sources, said national security police had searched the bookstore and that “The Troublemaker,” a biography of Lai, was among the books in question.
Police did not confirm the arrests, only saying that they "will take actions according to actual circumstances and in accordance with the law.” The bookstore did not immediately comment.
The bookstore remained closed on Wednesday when The Associated Press visited, with a notice outside its door saying: “Taking a day off due to an unexpected situation. Sorry for any inconvenience.”
Independent bookstores, widely seen as spaces offering books deemed relatively politically sensitive and cannot be easily found in public libraries and mainstream stores, have faced multiple challenges in their operations.
Pong has been charged for his other bookstore’s activities. In January, he pleaded not guilty to allegations of him running an unregistered school by allowing a Spanish class at his store.
Another independent bookseller, Hunter Bookstore, earlier said it was frequently visited by authorities over complaints about issues like hosting events without a license.
Hunter on Wednesday questioned how booksellers would be able to differentiate which books are considered seditious under the national security law. It said in a social media post it hoped the government would have an online list, and pledged it would not sell seditious titles if they were named there.
“Books and publishing are not independent enterprises. They are the cultural foundation of the entire society,” it wrote.
Authorities said Tuesday it was necessary to dissolve the three companies linked to Apple Daily to safeguard national security.
The now-defunct paper, founded by Lai and known for its critical coverage of both Hong Kong and Beijing governments, shut down nearly five years ago following the arrests of some of its top management staffers under a national security law Beijing imposed in 2020 to quell massive anti-government protests in 2019.
The three companies were the newspaper’s registered publisher, printer and owner of its website's domain name.
Some local media outlets on Wednesday reported police entered the idled office site of Next Digital, the parent company of Apple Daily.
Apart from Lai, six former Apple Daily staffers who entered guilty pleas in the case received jail terms ranged from six years and nine months, to 10 years.
Lai’s sentencing has drawn international criticism, with many critics saying the national security case reflected the decline of press freedom in Hong Kong. The city’s officials maintained the case has nothing to do with a free press and the two security laws are necessary for the city’s stability.
On Monday, the city's authorities amended the implementation rules to the 2020 security law, signaling efforts to step up its national security crackdown.
Customs authorities have been granted the power to seize any items they reasonably suspect to be carrying seditious intention.
The rules also allow police officers to request certain people to provide passwords or other decryption methods in investigating national security offenses. Those who refuse could face up to a year in prison and a fine of 100,000 Hong Kong dollars (about $12,800) if convicted.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang told lawmakers on Tuesday the new rules do not mean police could randomly ask for mobile phone passwords. He said officers must first secure court warrants based on national security reasons before searching electronic devices.
