Hong Kong protests: clerk gets 4 months’ jail for bringing in 18 seditious children’s books in first such ruling under national security law

UK parcel contained three sets of a six-title series on conflict between sheep and invading wolves, seen as referring to Beijing’s encroachment on city freedoms

Defence says client is remorseful and has joined national security education events, but magistrate notes potential influence of the material perpetuated

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The first three titles in the series were produced by a now-defunct speech therapist group, whose members have been jailed. Photo: Edmond So

Published: 3:16pm, 6 Oct 2023Updated: 5:40pm, 6 Oct 2023

A Hong Kong court has jailed a 38-year-old clerk for four months for bringing into the city 18 children’s books deemed seditious by authorities, in the first such ruling since the Beijing-imposed national security law came into force three years ago.

Finance worker Kurt Leung Kui-ming on Friday admitted he was the receiver of a parcel from Britain that contained three sets of a six-title series on conflicts between sheep and wolves.

He pleaded guilty at West Kowloon Court to importing seditious publications, an offence under a 1938 law that has never been invoked, before his prosecution last month.

Chief Magistrate Victor So Wai-tak noted the books depicted the Chinese government as the villain, with the publications’ intention to indoctrinate children with hatred, contempt and disaffection towards central authorities.

“The picture books discredit and vilify the central government as an evil and barbaric invader using stories that are full of distorted values and spurious information,” said the magistrate, who was approved by city leader John Lee Ka-chiu to hear cases of such nature.

The story was developed by the now-defunct General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists, which was behind the publication and distribution of the first three titles.

Five former executive members of the union were jailed for 19 months each on a joint count of publishing and distributing seditious articles.

The book series portrayed a village of sheep defending their home from a group of invading wolves following the departure of a shepherd.

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