The sudden cancellation of a talk on homosexuality at the Trade Development Council's annual book fair next week has led to the council being accused of abusing human rights.
Ho Hei-wah, chairman of the Human Rights Commission, said the council had deprived the public of the right to learn about homosexuality.
Last Friday the council invited writer Edward Lam Yick-wah to deliver an address at the fair to promote his new book, So Many Men, So Little Time.
But it was called off when Mr Lam revealed his subject would be 'heterosexuality through the eyes of a homosexual'.
'They told me to change the topic because it was inappropriate,' Mr Lam said.
But in a letter to Mr Lam, the council's executive director, Michael Sze Cho-cheung, said the talk was cancelled because few people were interested in the subject : 'We have to choose more popular programmes.'