Five Hong Kong publishers missing; bookshops remove politically sensitive titles

Five employees from Hong Kong’s Mighty Current publishing house and its affiliated Causeway Bay Bookshop have gone missing, with fears the staff have been detained by Chinese authorities, reports the Guardian. The Mighty Current publishing house is known for its controversial books about mainland Chinese politicians. Several bookstores have since begun removing politically sensitive titles from their shelves, including major Singapore chain Page One, which has outlets in Hong Kong and mainland China. PEN International executive director Carles Torner said in a statement: ‘We know that China has all too often resorted to enforced disappearances to pressure critical voices to recant or “confess” to alleged “offences” when they have merely been expressing themselves freely. The authorities must come clean as to whether or not they are holding any or all of these five and release them if they are held in connection with their freedom of expression.’

Category: International news