#Censorship #BookFair
Publisher Laments Diminishing Freedom Before National Security Law Enactment
As Hong Kong draws closer to the enactment of the National Security Law, exhibitors of Hong Kong Book Fair were closely concerned about the possible political censorships, and its effect.
The Organiser Trade Development Council reminded exhibitors to exercise “self-discipline” and be wary of exhibiting books that may seemed "illegal".
A member of the 2020 Hong Kong Bookfair Concern Group and Publisher of Subculture, Jimmy Pang Chi-ming said in a Commercial Radio interview that “the National Security Law has shocked the whole publishing industry” to an “unimaginable extent”. He revealed that some publishers scraped the production of Anti-ELAB movement photo books, or moved the production of such materials to somewhere safer. Some exhibitors even recalled books concerning June 4 Massacre on their own accord.
Pang said that there has always been freedom in the publication industry, and has never had to be this cautious in dealing with “politically restricted books” in Hong Kong, neither was there a need for pre-publication reviews and approvals. Nevertheless, this year, everyone in the book publishing industry are operating under a very tense and nervous atmosphere, not only worried about the bookfair exhibits, but also about whether the books sold in their bookstores will be banned in the future.
Pang further elaborated on the adverse chain effects of the National Security Law on the book publication industry. Pang said, “While it is a problem that publishers have to deal with today, distributors will face the same problem down the road. Bookstores and printers will eventually suffer as well.”
Source: Stand News
#Jun26
#NationalSecurityLaw #PublicationFreedom
Publisher Laments Diminishing Freedom Before National Security Law Enactment
As Hong Kong draws closer to the enactment of the National Security Law, exhibitors of Hong Kong Book Fair were closely concerned about the possible political censorships, and its effect.
The Organiser Trade Development Council reminded exhibitors to exercise “self-discipline” and be wary of exhibiting books that may seemed "illegal".
A member of the 2020 Hong Kong Bookfair Concern Group and Publisher of Subculture, Jimmy Pang Chi-ming said in a Commercial Radio interview that “the National Security Law has shocked the whole publishing industry” to an “unimaginable extent”. He revealed that some publishers scraped the production of Anti-ELAB movement photo books, or moved the production of such materials to somewhere safer. Some exhibitors even recalled books concerning June 4 Massacre on their own accord.
Pang said that there has always been freedom in the publication industry, and has never had to be this cautious in dealing with “politically restricted books” in Hong Kong, neither was there a need for pre-publication reviews and approvals. Nevertheless, this year, everyone in the book publishing industry are operating under a very tense and nervous atmosphere, not only worried about the bookfair exhibits, but also about whether the books sold in their bookstores will be banned in the future.
Pang further elaborated on the adverse chain effects of the National Security Law on the book publication industry. Pang said, “While it is a problem that publishers have to deal with today, distributors will face the same problem down the road. Bookstores and printers will eventually suffer as well.”
Source: Stand News
#Jun26
#NationalSecurityLaw #PublicationFreedom