International trade bodies express their concern over Hong Kong Security Law

The International Publishers Association (IPA) and the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) have stated their concern at the limits the new Hong Kong Security Law will create on the freedom to publish in Hong Kong.

The new law, adopted on 19th March, has been denounced by Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, as well as the International Service for Human Rights, the Hong Kong Centre for Human Rights, and the Hong Kong Democratic Council.

The impact of the new law on publishers and booksellers has been immediate, the Guardian has reported, with bookshops and organisations forced to close.

The IPA and EIBF described concerns around the “bill’s sweeping provisions and broad definitions”.

Kristenn Einarsson, chair of the IPA’s Freedom to Publish Committee, said: “The last 10 years have seen publishing and bookselling in Hong Kong decimated. From intimidation to restrictive security laws we must recognise the tools of censorship and resist them.”

EIBF co-president Jean-Luc Treutenaere commented: “The steady deterioration of the freedom of expression in Hong Kong is disheartening. The book publishing and bookselling communities are under threat by repressive security laws, which are resulting in vibrant and beloved bookshops shutting down. Any closure, and particularly in current times, is a massive loss to the book world.” 

The IPA has previously expressed concern about the situation for publishers in Hong Kong around freedom of speech. In September 2022, five authors and publishers were sentenced to 19 months in prison for "conspiracy to print, publish, distribute, display and/or reproduce seditious publications".  

In 2018 IPA awarded the Prix Voltaire to Swedish Hong Kong publisher by Gui Minhai who co-owned Mighty Current and was one of the Causeway Books booksellers. Gui is currently in jail in China and the IPA continues to call for his release.