HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong police on Wednesday arrested two people on suspicion of selling seditious publications and receiving funds from foreign political organizations, acting under a recent national security law.
The government’s statement early Thursday did not identify those arrested. But local media outlets, including the Chinese-language newspaper Ming Pao, quoted unidentified sources saying one was Hunter Bookstore’s owner Leticia Wong.
Wong, a pro-democracy former district councilor, has remained outspoken after many leading activists were jailed under a crackdown following massive anti-government protests in 2019. If confirmed, her arrest would be widely seen as the latest step to stifle dissent in the Asian financial hub.
The Associated Press could not independently verify the identities of those arrested. Police did not immediately respond to emailed questions. Wong could not be reached by phone.
Wednesday’s arrests occurred a week before the 29th anniversary of the former British colony’s return to Chinese rule. Critics say Beijing’s promise to allow the city to maintain its Western-style civil liberties after the 1997 handover is increasingly threadbare
