#Censorship
Pro-Beijing Activists Call For Citizens to "Monitor" and "Report" Products That Might "Incite Subversion of State Power"
The government had announced that this year's Book Fair would be held between 15 July and 21 July as usual. Pro-Beijing Organisations such as Politihk Social Strategic organised the movement "Independence-less Book Fair", calling for citizens to "monitor" and "report" products that may "incite subversion of state power" using their smartphones, claiming that they would "assist in passing on the information to the Ministry of State Security (MSS) and bringing quislings to justice."
Although the National Security Law has not finished drafting, and with pro-Beijing activists repeatedly emphasising that the National Security Law only targets a small amount of people, the Politihk Social Strategic stated that Hong Kong already has a "National Security Law", and that the "tolerated" pro-Independence promotion may already be commission of inciting subversion of state power. They had observed that "corruption-spreading publishers and political parties had exploited previous year's book fair to spread their illegal political views," and are teaming up with pro-Beijing organisations such as DQaction and Johnny Patriotic 101 to call for "parents" to exercise caution while picking children's books, while also "inviting" parents to report book stalls selling products that may "incite subversion of state power" to the MSS via them.
Source: Stand News
#Jun15 #BookFair #PolitihkSocialStrategic #WhiteTerror
Pro-Beijing Activists Call For Citizens to "Monitor" and "Report" Products That Might "Incite Subversion of State Power"
The government had announced that this year's Book Fair would be held between 15 July and 21 July as usual. Pro-Beijing Organisations such as Politihk Social Strategic organised the movement "Independence-less Book Fair", calling for citizens to "monitor" and "report" products that may "incite subversion of state power" using their smartphones, claiming that they would "assist in passing on the information to the Ministry of State Security (MSS) and bringing quislings to justice."
Although the National Security Law has not finished drafting, and with pro-Beijing activists repeatedly emphasising that the National Security Law only targets a small amount of people, the Politihk Social Strategic stated that Hong Kong already has a "National Security Law", and that the "tolerated" pro-Independence promotion may already be commission of inciting subversion of state power. They had observed that "corruption-spreading publishers and political parties had exploited previous year's book fair to spread their illegal political views," and are teaming up with pro-Beijing organisations such as DQaction and Johnny Patriotic 101 to call for "parents" to exercise caution while picking children's books, while also "inviting" parents to report book stalls selling products that may "incite subversion of state power" to the MSS via them.
Source: Stand News
#Jun15 #BookFair #PolitihkSocialStrategic #WhiteTerror
立場新聞 Stand News
國安法未有條文 建制組織發起「無獨書展」 籲舉報涉獨書刊產品 轉交國安部門 | 立場報道 | 立場新聞
政府早前宣布今年書展如期 7 月 15 日至 21 日舉行，建制組織「香港政研會」等發起「無獨書展」行動，呼籲...
#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
#BookFair #HKTDC #Coronavirus
Government Postpones Book Fair Amidst Covid-19 Spike in Hong Kong
On July 13, another 52 COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Hong Kong, of which 41 were local infectetions.
The sources of 20 among the 41 cases remains unknown.
This resulted in the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) finally calling off the annual Book Fair, two days before its opening.
Several exhibitors have already made a joint petition demanding the postponement of the fair since last week.
In addition to the Book Fair, three simultaneous public events, namely the sports and leisure expo, the education and career expo and kickstarter expo, will all be postponed.
Nevertheless, from the photos taken on July 13 by an exhibitor to Stand News, construction workers were still decorating the exhibition hall.
Source: Stand News #Jul13
Government Postpones Book Fair Amidst Covid-19 Spike in Hong Kong
On July 13, another 52 COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Hong Kong, of which 41 were local infectetions.
The sources of 20 among the 41 cases remains unknown.
This resulted in the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) finally calling off the annual Book Fair, two days before its opening.
Several exhibitors have already made a joint petition demanding the postponement of the fair since last week.
In addition to the Book Fair, three simultaneous public events, namely the sports and leisure expo, the education and career expo and kickstarter expo, will all be postponed.
Nevertheless, from the photos taken on July 13 by an exhibitor to Stand News, construction workers were still decorating the exhibition hall.
Source: Stand News #Jul13
Self-censorship hits Hong Kong book fair in wake of national security law
Booksellers at Hong Kong’s annual book fair are offering a reduced selection of books deemed politically sensitive, as they try to avoid violating a sweeping national security law imposed on the city last year.
The fair was postponed twice last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. It usually draws hundreds of thousands of people looking for everything from the latest bestsellers to works by political figures.
This year, far fewer politically sensitive books are on display. Vendors are curating their books carefully to avoid violating the national security law, which Beijing imposed on Hong Kong in June 2020. Authorities have used it to crack down on dissent, arresting more than 100 pro-democracy supporters in the region.
Source: The Guardian #Jul15
https://bit.ly/3AboWKs
#BookFair #HongKong #NationalSecurityLaw #Beijing
Booksellers at Hong Kong’s annual book fair are offering a reduced selection of books deemed politically sensitive, as they try to avoid violating a sweeping national security law imposed on the city last year.
The fair was postponed twice last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. It usually draws hundreds of thousands of people looking for everything from the latest bestsellers to works by political figures.
This year, far fewer politically sensitive books are on display. Vendors are curating their books carefully to avoid violating the national security law, which Beijing imposed on Hong Kong in June 2020. Authorities have used it to crack down on dissent, arresting more than 100 pro-democracy supporters in the region.
Source: The Guardian #Jul15
https://bit.ly/3AboWKs
#BookFair #HongKong #NationalSecurityLaw #Beijing