HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong police took two people into custody Wednesday, alleging they sold seditious publications and accepted money from foreign political organizations, invoking powers granted under a recently enacted national security law.
An official government statement released early Thursday declined to name the individuals who were arrested. However, local media outlets — among them the Chinese-language newspaper Ming Pao — cited unnamed sources claiming that one of the two was Leticia Wong, the owner of Hunter Bookstore.
Wong, a former district councilor known for her pro-democracy stance, has continued to speak out publicly at a time when many prominent activists have been imprisoned following a sweeping crackdown that came in the wake of large-scale anti-government demonstrations in 2019. Should her involvement be confirmed, many observers would likely view the arrest as another move to suppress dissenting voices in the city.
The Associated Press was unable to independently confirm the identities of those taken into custody. Police did not answer emailed questions, and Wong was unreachable by phone.
The two arrests happened exactly one week before Hong Kong marks the 29th anniversary of its transition from British colonial rule back to China. Critics argue that Beijing’s pledge to preserve the city’s Western-style civil liberties following the 1997 handover is becoming increasingly hollow.
According to Thursday’s official statement, the pair arrested operate a shop in the Sham Shui Po district — the same area where Wong’s bookstore is located. They face suspicion of sedition under the 2024 national security law, as well as charges related to handling assets believed to be proceeds of an indictable offense under a separate piece of legislation.
A pro-Beijing newspaper reported last year that an independent book fair held at Wong’s bookstore carried overtones of what it called “soft resistance.” That report drew attention to the store’s intention to sell a biography of jailed pro-democracy figure Jimmy Lai.
Authorities said their investigation found the pair allegedly displayed seditious items and offered for sale publications containing seditious content — including materials said to incite hatred toward the city’s government, its courts, and law enforcement. The statement also alleged the two received money transfers funded by foreign political organizations, though it did not name the specific publications or groups involved.
Wong had previously spoken about feeling pressure on her business. In an interview with the AP last year, she said her records documented 92 instances between July 2022 and June 2025 in which government authorities took action against her shop — including inspections, visible patrols outside the premises, and written warnings about alleged violations. She also described how an anonymous letter sent to an organization that had planned an event at her shop led that group to cancel the booking.
This past March, police arrested the owner and employees of a separate bookstore, reportedly also on suspicion of selling seditious materials, including the Lai biography. Those booksellers were subsequently released on bail.
The Hong Kong government maintains that both security laws are essential to maintaining stability in the city, and insists that freedom of expression remains fully protected.
