Hong Kong’s Chief Executive has called for public libraries to ensure that books do not violate local laws, following criticism that many materials related to China’s Tiananmen Square crackdown have been removed from library shelves.
When asked about the removal of June 4 literature and documentaries from public libraries, John Lee stated that these books could still be accessed in private bookshops. He emphasized that the role of public libraries is to ensure that no laws are breached, including those related to copyrights and messages that may be deemed harmful to Hong Kong’s interests.
Hong Kong, which was promised wide-ranging freedoms when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997, has seen its individual liberties restricted in recent years due to a national security law imposed by China.
Chinese authorities argue that the national security law has brought stability to Hong Kong following the mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.
Unlike mainland China, where discussions of the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989 are taboo and censored, public memorials and commemorations were previously permitted in Hong Kong.
However, over the past three years, Hong Kong authorities have prevented the annual June 4 candlelight vigil from taking place, citing COVID-related social distancing measures. Additionally, public monuments, including a “goddess of democracy” statue, have been removed from three universities.
With the easing of COVID restrictions this year, some activists have called for the resumption of the June 4 vigil.
According to Hong Kong’s Ming Pao newspaper, more than 40 percent of video materials and books related to “political themes” have been removed from public libraries since 2020.
In an April report, the government-backed Audit Commission stated that a two-year review of library materials had nearly been completed, identifying and removing “library books which are manifestly contrary to the interests of national security.”
The national security law, which includes severe penalties such as life imprisonment for acts of subversion and collusion with foreign forces, has been criticized by some countries, including the United States, as a repressive tool.