Hong Kong Stand News arrests ‘without rite’

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – A spokesperson for the Hong Kong Stand News media in Hong Kong this week has been described as “completely legal and reprehensible” by a spokesman for the British embassy in Britain in response to foreign criticism of the move.

Embassy spokeswoman Amanda Milling was responding to comments from Britain’s Asian Minister of State, who said on Twitter (NYSE 🙂 that the actions “further erode Hong Kong’s freedom of expression.”

“The rights and interests of Hong Kong residents, including freedom of expression and freedom of the press, are protected by law,” the Chinese embassy said Thursday night.

“The Chinese side is once again urging the UK to correct its mistakes and stop interfering in any way in Hong Kong matters, which are China’s internal affairs,” the spokesman added.

Two former Stand News CEOs were accused of conspiring to publish seditious material and were denied bail by the court on Thursday, following a police crackdown on pro-democracy media outlets that led to its closure.

About 200 agents searched the network’s publishing office, froze its assets, and arrested seven editors-in-chief and former committee members on Wednesday.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blink has accused China and Hong Kong of silencing independent media outlets and called on authorities to immediately release the arrested Stand News staff.

But the Communist Party’s official newspaper, People’s Daily, said in a Friday editorial that it was using “press freedom” as an excuse to sow “chaos against China” in Hong Kong. Foreign politicians have been accused of “recklessly discrediting” Hong Kong police.

“Under the cover of a media organization, Stand News is basically a political organization,” he said.

“Freedom has a basis, and violations of the law must be punished.”