Hong Kong police arrest former Apple Daily reporter at airport | Freedom of the Press News

Fung Wai-kong arrests outlets in favor of democracy Stand News has suspended fundraising amid concerns over national security law.

Hong Kong police have arrested the former chief journalist in the Apple Daily newspaper, which is closed at the airport on Sunday night, for an alleged national security crime, according to local media.

Police, who do not normally name the detainees, said in a statement that a 57-year-old man had been arrested at the airport for “conspiring to endanger national security with foreign countries or foreign forces.”

They added that he had been arrested and that investigations were continuing.

The South China Morning Post and Citizen News named the detainee Fung Wai-kong, the editor and columnist for the now-closed pro-democracy tabloid.

They thought he would go to the UK when he was arrested, they said.

Fung is the seventh supporter of the democratic daily Apple Daily, who has been arrested for national security reasons in recent weeks. The arrests came as Hong Kong authorities suppress dissent in the semi-autonomous city, arresting major pro-democracy figures in the city and renewing Hong Kong’s election laws to exclude opposition voices from the legislature.

Earlier this month, authorities froze $ 2.3 million in assets linked to the Apple Daily newspaper. forcing to suspend operations. The Apple Daily printed the last edition last week, citing employee safety and inability to pay salaries.

Hong Kong authorities say dozens of articles in the paper have violated China’s national security law, the first case of authorities targeting media reports under the legislation.

The Hong Kong Journalists Association, reporting the arrest at the airport, condemned the police for recounting the reporters and asked them to explain what had happened.

“The HKJA reiterates that freedom of expression and freedom of the press are core values ​​of Hong Kong,” it said in a statement. “Even if the writing of the literati is not supported, it will be difficult to make Hong Kong an international city.”

The closure of Apple Daily and the arrest of local journalists have caused concern in the Hong Kong media industry.

The Stand News online pro-democracy outlet said in a statement late Sunday that it would remove comments posted on its website before June and suspend fundraising efforts due to extensive national security legislation.

Measures were taken to support the news, writers and editorial staff of the Hong Kong “literature inquisition” in Hong Kong, Stand News reported in a statement.

Despite precautionary measures, Stand News pledged to continue reporting the news.

“Over the past six and a half years, the Stand News team has had trials and difficulties with the people of Hong Kong, appreciating each other and weaving a common memory of Hong Kong’s survival,” it said in a statement.

“To convey those memories, we will stick to our messages, we will travel with the people of Hong Kong … and we will write and record Hong Kong news and events.”