HK Customs Seizes Over 60 Books from Taiwan for Prisoner Support Group
HKFP · 1 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Waiting Bird, a Hong Kong group that supports people jailed in politics-related cases, has accused Customs officers of confiscating over 60 books imported from Taiwan for their partner retail outlet As One. The shipment, which was originally supposed to arrive on October 13, came a week late, and the group found that more than 60 books had been removed from the delivery. Customs cited new powers under the national security law to justify the seizure, stating the books were suspected of having seditious intention.
Key Points
- Waiting Bird was founded in 2022 by former district councillor Derek Chu, who also owns As One retail outlet
- The shipment from Taiwan was expected on October 13 but arrived only on October 20, a week behind schedule
- The original two-box shipment was reduced to half a box upon arrival, with over 60 books missing
- Customs used new powers added to the national security law in March to seize items suspected of seditious intention
- Four of the confiscated titles were books the group had been selling previously and that were available at other bookstores
Why It Matters
The seizure highlights how the expanded national security law is being used to control information flow in Hong Kong, with authorities targeting books from Taiwan that may contain content deemed unfavorable to Beijing . The lack of transparency about what constitutes seditious content leaves civil society groups uncertain about what materials can be safely imported, potentially chilling free expression and academic discourse .
The seizure highlights how the expanded national security law is being used to control information flow in Hong Kong, with authorities targeting books from Taiwan that may contain content deemed unfavorable to Beijing . The lack of transparency about what constitutes seditious content leaves civil society groups uncertain about what materials can be safely imported, potentially chilling free expression and academic discourse .