Hong Kong libraries have taken at least nine titles written by localist or democracy advocates out of circulation for conducting a review of whether the books run afoul of the new national security law, South China Morning Post reported on Sunday.

Bar Association chairman Philip Dykes said the move was alarming and that the authorities needed to justify restricting the public's right to seek information. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which manages the city's public libraries, confirmed it was scrutinising some books for compliance with the new law, without naming them.