To understand the extent of Beijing’s crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong one need only turn to this year’s book fair. The event has seen self-censorship at a scale that is unprecedented. This comes as Beijing is rounding up the elimination of any remaining pockets of democracy in the city. This article by Katie Tam is published by The Washington Post. Here is an excerpt:
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 book fair was postponed twice last year due to 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.
Read the full article here.
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