Lam Wing-kee, known for resisting Beijing’s crackdowns on free speech, has died in Taiwan. He passed away at 70, after a cancer relapse. Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported his death, noting his admission to MacKay Memorial Hospital in Taipei earlier in the week before his passing on Thursday evening.
Lam’s story began at Causeway Bay Books in Hong Kong. He became prominent when Chinese authorities detained him in late 2015. Fearing legal repercussions, Lam moved to Taipei in 2019. He reopened Causeway Bay Books there in 2020.
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te expressed condolences on Facebook, highlighting Lam’s courage in defending democracy. President Lai stated, “The passing of Mr Lam Wing-kee is deeply saddening, but the courage he left behind would not fade.” He emphasized Lam’s reminder of freedom’s significance and the ongoing effort required to protect democracy.
Lam was one of five people associated with Causeway Bay Books who disappeared in 2015. The bookstore sold content about Chinese leaders and scandals. Among these, Gui Minhai faced imprisonment in China on charges of illegally providing intelligence overseas.
In a 2016 revelation, Lam defied Chinese narratives by detailing his abduction. He described being blindfolded and taken to Ningbo, where he was monitored for five months. He was coerced into confessing on Chinese television.
Lam had temporarily closed the Taipei bookstore due to his health, saying he couldn’t determine when it might reopen. Lam’s accounts highlighted increased control over Hong Kong since the 2019 protests. Notably, Hong Kong police recently arrested individuals for selling seditious content linked to foreign entities, acting under a new national security law.