The majority of books and videos about the Tiananmen Square crackdown were removed from the shelves of public libraries in Hong Kong just weeks after government auditors instructed them to step up efforts to root out works "manifestly contrary" to national security, according to the the South China Morning Post.

Critics said that the removal of the books would harm the city's image for transparency.

Censorship of books is not unusual in many places, according to Simon Chu Fook-keung, a former acting director of the city government's archives from 1999 to 2003, but removal without reason might jeopardise official legitimacy.

“If a government cannot even convince its people why certain books – including those apparently non-political – are banned, it might have difficulties in winning trust on other issues,” he warned.

However, security head Chris Tang Ping-keung stated that the public library service has well-established standards on book selection.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-propagandists-are-scam-calling-those-buying-anti-communist-party-books-592883">Chinese propagandists are scam-calling those buying anti-Communist&nbsp;party&nbsp;books</a>

“I am also sure that safeguarding&nbsp;national security&nbsp;is high on the agenda of each and every individual department and bureau,” he said.

An academic, on the other hand, expressed concern that the authorities' removal of books would tarnish Hong Kong's reputation as a city with robust access to knowledge and called for greater transparency regarding the reasons for government book censorship.

A spokeswoman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which operates the city's 71 public libraries, said the department regularly examined and rejected books that were "not in line with the development" of the service.

“Books with content suspected of breaching the national security law or other local laws are removed immediately for a review,” he told&nbsp;South China Morning Post.

A search of the public library archives on Monday using keywords such as "June 4, 1989," "Tiananmen Square," and "June 4" in Chinese and English turned up no articles related to the military crackdown in Beijing 34 years ago.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/one-in-five-chinese-is-unemployed-reveals-official-data-592947">One in five Chinese is unemployed, reveals official data</a>

Dozens of popular content relating to the crackdown have been removed, including films produced by RTHK, the city's public service broadcaster, a Chinese-language book about the incident authored by 64 Hong Kong journalists, and The Power of Tiananmen by Chinese sociologist Zhao Dingxin.

Beijing Coma, a 2008 English-language novel restricted in mainland China but still available in five local libraries, was one of the few relevant novels that remained on library shelves.

Works dealing with the Tiananmen Square crackdown, which the mainland government deemed sensitive, reduced in advance of the 34th anniversary, compared to the 149 pieces accessible in 2019, as reported by local media sources previously. 
&nbsp;

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The majority of books and videos about the Tiananmen Square crackdown were removed from the shelves of public libraries in Hong Kong just weeks after government auditors instructed them to step up efforts to root out works "manifestly contrary" to national security, according to the the South China Morning Post.

The majority of books and videos about the Tiananmen Square crackdown were removed from the shelves of public libraries in Hong Kong just weeks after government auditors instructed them to step up efforts to root out works "manifestly contrary" to national security, according to the the South China Morning Post. Critics said that the removal of the books would harm the city's image for transparency. Censorship of books is not unusual in many places, according to Simon Chu Fook-keung, a former acting director of the city government's archives from 1999 to 2003, but removal without reason might jeopardise official legitimacy. “If a government cannot even convince its people why certain books – including those apparently non-political – are banned, it might have difficulties in winning trust on other issues,” he warned. However, security head Chris Tang Ping-keung stated that the public library service has well-established standards on book selection. ALSO READ | Chinese propagandists are scam-calling those buying anti-Communist party books “I am also sure that safeguarding national security is high on the agenda of each and every individual department and bureau,” he said. An academic, on the other hand, expressed concern that the authorities' removal of books would tarnish Hong Kong's reputation as a city with robust access to knowledge and called for greater transparency regarding the reasons for government book censorship. A spokeswoman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which operates the city's 71 public libraries, said the department regularly examined and rejected books that were "not in line with the development" of the service. “Books with content suspected of breaching the national security law or other local laws are removed immediately for a review,” he told South China Morning Post. A search of the public library archives on Monday using keywords such as "June 4, 1989," "Tiananmen Square," and "June 4" in Chinese and English turned up no articles related to the military crackdown in Beijing 34 years ago. ALSO READ | One in five Chinese is unemployed, reveals official data Dozens of popular content relating to the crackdown have been removed, including films produced by RTHK, the city's public service broadcaster, a Chinese-language book about the incident authored by 64 Hong Kong journalists, and The Power of Tiananmen by Chinese sociologist Zhao Dingxin. Beijing Coma, a 2008 English-language novel restricted in mainland China but still available in five local libraries, was one of the few relevant novels that remained on library shelves. Works dealing with the Tiananmen Square crackdown, which the mainland government deemed sensitive, reduced in advance of the 34th anniversary, compared to the 149 pieces accessible in 2019, as reported by local media sources previously. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Hong Kong public libraries withdraw most books on Tiananmen Square crackdown in new censorship

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for the&nbsp;release&nbsp;Friday of four&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;democracy&nbsp;activists&nbsp;who were jailed for taking part in a&nbsp;vigil&nbsp;for victims of Beijing's 1989&nbsp;Tiananmen&nbsp;Square crackdown.

"The United States stands with the people of&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;and rejects the sentencing of&nbsp;activists&nbsp;for attending a&nbsp;Tiananmen&nbsp;commemoration," Blinken wrote&nbsp;on&nbsp;Twitter.

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The United States stands with the people of Hong Kong and rejects the sentencing of activists for attending a Tiananmen commemoration. All those imprisoned for nonviolent exercise of guaranteed freedoms should be freed immediately.
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"All those imprisoned for nonviolent exercise of guaranteed freedoms should be freed immediately," he added.

Joshua Wong, Lester Shum, Tiffany Yuen and Janelle Leung - four prominent youth&nbsp;activists&nbsp;in their twenties, were jailed after pleading guilty to taking part in an "unauthorised assembly" last year&nbsp;on&nbsp;the 4&nbsp;June&nbsp;Tiananmen&nbsp;anniversary.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-activist-joshua-wong-given-additional-jail-term-for-tiananmen-square-vigil-383142/amp">Hong Kong: Activist Joshua Wong given additional jail term for Tiananmen Square vigil</a>

For the past three decades,&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;has marked the anniversary of Beijing's deadly 1989 repression of protests in&nbsp;Tiananmen&nbsp;Square with massive candlelight vigils.

But last year's event was banned for the first time, with police citing the coronavirus pandemic and security fears following huge democracy protests that roiled&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;the year before.

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Tens of thousands defied the ban and massed peacefully at the&nbsp;vigil's traditional site in Victoria Park.

Since then, prosecutors have brought charges against more than two dozen prominent democracy&nbsp;activists&nbsp;who showed up at the&nbsp;vigil, the latest in a string of criminal cases that have ensnared the city's beleaguered democracy movement.

Joshua Wong, one of the city's most recognisable democracy&nbsp;activists, is currently serving 17.5 months in jail for two convictions linked to the 2019 demonstrations.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-activist-joshua-wong-pleads-guilty-over-illegal-assembly-381552">Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong pleads guilty over 'illegal assembly'</a>

He was handed a consecutive 10 months of jail for the new conviction, which will start once current sentences are finished.

Shum, 27, was given six months while Yuen, 27, and Leung, 26, were both handed four months.

Wong, Shum and Yuen have also been charged under a new national security law Beijing imposed&nbsp;on&nbsp;the city last year to stamp out dissent. They face up to life in jail if convicted.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for the release Friday of four Hong Kong democracy activists who were jailed for taking part in a vigil for victims of Beijing's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for the release Friday of four Hong Kong democracy activists who were jailed for taking part in a vigil for victims of Beijing's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. "The United States stands with the people of Hong Kong and rejects the sentencing of activists for attending a Tiananmen commemoration," Blinken wrote on Twitter. The United States stands with the people of Hong Kong and rejects the sentencing of activists for attending a Tiananmen commemoration. All those imprisoned for nonviolent exercise of guaranteed freedoms should be freed immediately. — Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) May 7, 2021 × "All those imprisoned for nonviolent exercise of guaranteed freedoms should be freed immediately," he added. Joshua Wong, Lester Shum, Tiffany Yuen and Janelle Leung - four prominent youth activists in their twenties, were jailed after pleading guilty to taking part in an "unauthorised assembly" last year on the 4 June Tiananmen anniversary. Also read | Hong Kong: Activist Joshua Wong given additional jail term for Tiananmen Square vigil For the past three decades, Hong Kong has marked the anniversary of Beijing's deadly 1989 repression of protests in Tiananmen Square with massive candlelight vigils. But last year's event was banned for the first time, with police citing the coronavirus pandemic and security fears following huge democracy protests that roiled Hong Kong the year before. Tens of thousands defied the ban and massed peacefully at the vigil's traditional site in Victoria Park. Since then, prosecutors have brought charges against more than two dozen prominent democracy activists who showed up at the vigil, the latest in a string of criminal cases that have ensnared the city's beleaguered democracy movement. Joshua Wong, one of the city's most recognisable democracy activists, is currently serving 17.5 months in jail for two convictions linked to the 2019 demonstrations. Also read | Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong pleads guilty over 'illegal assembly' He was handed a consecutive 10 months of jail for the new conviction, which will start once current sentences are finished. Shum, 27, was given six months while Yuen, 27, and Leung, 26, were both handed four months. Wong, Shum and Yuen have also been charged under a new national security law Beijing imposed on the city last year to stamp out dissent. They face up to life in jail if convicted.

US calls on Hong Kong to release Tiananmen vigil activists

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Hong Kong public libraries withdraw most books on Tiananmen Square crackdown in new censorship

US calls on Hong Kong to release Tiananmen vigil activists