Hong Kong booksellers arrested over biography of jailed tycoon Jimmy Lai (opens original article in a new tab)

Hong Kong police arrested two individuals for allegedly selling seditious materials, including a biography of jailed media mogul Jimmy Lai, under expanded national security laws. The suspects face potential prison sentences of up to 14 years. Human Rights Watch and the book's author criticized the arrests as censorship, while Hong Kong has seen 401 arrests for national security crimes since June.

• Hong Kong police arrested two people for selling items with seditious intent, including a biography of jailed tycoon Jimmy Lai
• The suspects were identified as a 33-year-old woman and 32-year-old man, with local media reporting they were proprietors of independent bookstore Hunter
• The arrests occurred under Hong Kong's national security laws, with suspects facing up to 14 years in prison for money laundering and seditious intentions
• Human Rights Watch and author Mark Clifford criticized the arrests as examples of censorship and fear-driven suppression of free expression
• Hong Kong has arrested 401 people for national security crimes since June, with 182 convictions