The International Authors Forum (IAF) is extremely concerned by reports in the BBC News, The Guardian, Global Times and The Wall Street Journal among others that books by Joshua Wong, prominent protester, and Tanya Chan, Hong Kong politician, have been removed from public libraries as the new Chinese Security Law is implemented in Hong Kong.

Bans on books are a blatant suppression of free speech, a value that the international author community supports and upholds. The voices of authors must be heard and authors should have the right to have their words freely published without fear of intimidation, censorship and violence. IAF stands with authors around the world affected by book bans and calls for action by governments to ensure freedom of speech for authors in all countries.