Hong Kong Police Arrest 5 in Bookstore Sedition Raids as Article 23 Crackdown Widens
Updated
Updated · Hong Kong Free Press · Jul 15
Hong Kong Police Arrest 5 in Bookstore Sedition Raids as Article 23 Crackdown Widens
3 articles · Updated · Hong Kong Free Press · Jul 15
Summary
Five people were detained after Hong Kong national security police raided two independent bookstores, alleging they displayed and sold materials with seditious intent under the city’s Article 23 law.
Police said the seized books and other items could stir hatred toward the Hong Kong government, judiciary and law enforcement; those arrested included two men aged 37 and 57 and three women aged 30 to 59.
At Have a Nice Stay in Prince Edward, officers were seen removing 10 plastic boxes, a cardboard box, a suitcase and a black bag, while a parallel operation was reported at Greenfield Bookstore in Mong Kok.
The raids came a day after Have a Nice Stay said it would close next month, citing financial difficulties and "unclear red lines" over which books can legally be sold.
The operation extends a broader squeeze on independent booksellers after arrests at other shops in March and June and reported exclusions from this week’s Hong Kong Book Fair.
After the third raid on booksellers, where is the line now drawn between free expression and the crime of sedition in Hong Kong?
With no banned book list, is Hong Kong's vague sedition law creating a 'culture of disappearance' for independent thought?
Hong Kong’s Crackdown on Bookstores: The Chilling Impact of Article 23 and National Security Laws in 2026
Overview
In 2026, Hong Kong saw a sharp escalation in crackdowns on independent bookstores, with police raiding two shops and arresting five people in July, following the earlier arrest of Letitia Wong, owner of Hunter Bookstore, and her husband in June for allegedly selling 'seditious' books and receiving foreign funds. These actions highlight a growing pattern of enforcement against independent publishers, reflecting the city's tightening legal environment under new national security laws. The report shows how these developments are part of a broader trend of shrinking freedoms and increasing risks for those involved in publishing and free expression in Hong Kong.