Hong Kong Booksellers Face Sedition Charges Over Jimmy Lai Biography
In a stark development, Hong Kong authorities have arrested four individuals for selling a biography of the prominent dissident Jimmy Lai, authored by Mark L Clifford. The incident has sparked widespread condemnation, with Clifford describing it as another betrayal by China of its promises to uphold free speech in the former British colony.
Shock and Sadness Over Arrests
Mark L Clifford, the author of The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, Hong Kong’s Greatest Dissident, and China’s Most Feared Critic, was informed by a Reuters journalist that a bookstore owner and three staff members had been detained. They face sedition charges under Hong Kong's national security legislation, with potential sentences of up to seven years in prison.
Clifford expressed profound shock and sadness, noting that while authors typically seek attention for their work, this kind of notoriety is deeply unsettling. He reflected on the solitary nature of writing, involving extensive research, interviews, and drafting, only to see his book become a tool for political repression.
Broken Promises and Authoritarian Shift
When China assumed control of Hong Kong in 1997, it pledged to maintain the city's freedoms under the 'one country, two systems' framework. However, Clifford argues that this promise has been systematically broken, with the arrest of the booksellers representing just one in a series of betrayals. The closure of the bookstore, marked by a padlocked gate and a sign citing an "unexpected emergency," has captured global media attention, symbolizing the erosion of civil liberties.
The author feels humbled and soiled by the experience, especially as he considers the plight of Jimmy Lai and other former colleagues from Apple Daily who remain imprisoned. He admires the bravery of the booksellers, particularly Pong Yat-ming, owner of Book Punch, who has faced repeated government harassment since opening his independent store in 2020.
Testing the Limits in a New Era
Pong Yat-ming has been testing the boundaries of Hong Kong's increasingly authoritarian regime. He has been convicted on unrelated charges, such as running an illegal language school for Spanish lessons and serving alcohol without a license, resulting in fines. Clifford questions why authorities targeted his book specifically, suggesting it serves as a pretext to suppress dissent.
Insight into the government's perspective came from The Standard, a Hong Kong English-language newspaper where Clifford once served as publisher and editor-in-chief. The paper, now aligned with Beijing, claimed the biography glorifies Lai's actions, attacks judicial personnel, misrepresents government detention arrangements, and vilifies Hong Kong and mainland China to incite sedition.
Broader Context of Democratic Erosion
Historically, pro-democracy candidates garnered significant support in Hong Kong elections, with around 60% of voters backing them from 1991 until the 2019 District Council elections. Despite a crackdown that prompted hundreds of thousands to leave, many of the city's seven million residents still yearn for freedom. Authorities continue to worry about "soft resistance," yet targeting a paperback book seems an extreme measure to curb dissent.
Clifford concludes by emphasizing the irony and tragedy of the situation, where a biography intended to document Lai's life has become a focal point in the struggle for Hong Kong's soul. He calls for renewed attention to the ongoing suppression of free speech and human rights in the city.
