Hong Kong police have arrested Apple Daily editor, director HQ | | Freedom of the Press News

DEVELOPING A STORY

Police have reportedly cooperated with five foreign forces in the latest round of arrests under the National Security Act, and have sent dozens of officers to the headquarters of the media group.

Hong Kong police arrested Jimmy Daily La Democracy activist Jimmy Lai and the editor-in-chief of Apple Daily, four other directors, on Thursday for allegedly committing national security crimes in a raid on dozens of police officers and blocking agents from entering the Hong Kong headquarters of the media group.

Apple Daily has confirmed the arrest of editor-in-chief Ryan Law, chief executive Cheung Kim-hung, chief operating officer Chow Tat-kuen, editor-in-chief Chan Puiman and chief executive Cheung Chi-wai.

They are accused of “joining foreign forces”.

“The reports published in the paper were allegedly in violation of national security law,” the South China Morning Post quoted an unnamed police source as saying.

Local media reported that police arrived at the headquarters of the media group around 7am (Wednesday at 11pm) to search the premises and give orders to seize “journalistic material”.

The entrances and exits of the area were blocked and the official police Facebook page showed a live replay of the events with journalists gathered outside.

“Police are conducting law enforcement operations at Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate,” he said.

Apple Daily was also reporting the road, though it said all employees arriving at the office were required to register personal data such as ID cards, employee cards, phone numbers and addresses with police, and only to enter the dining hall. Journalists were “prevented from returning to work,” the media group said on its Facebook page.

China he enacted the national security law almost a year ago, a semi-autonomous city that was sometimes the scene of violent protests after being excited in 2019. The broad-based law criminalizes actions such as subversion, sedition, collusion with foreign forces, and secession for life imprisonment, but critics have said it is accustomed to arresting dozens of pro-democracy politicians and activists.

Lai was also arrested by police last August the headquarters of the media group prevailed. He was 73 years old in prison in December after a court denied bail. He has three charges under the security law, including joining a foreign power.

Last month, authorities used the security law to enforce a Freeze Lai’s assets.

Laik made a fortune in the clothing trade and in the Giordano fashion chain. Apple Daily, an apologetically pro-democracy newspaper, was founded in 1995.