[ad_1]
Hong Kong police have arrested senior editors and executives of a pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai’s diary in the first use of the territory’s national security law directly against journalists.
The Apple Daily said at least 100 police officers stormed its offices early Thursday, instructing reporters arriving at work to register their identities and prevent them from filming the raid or going to their counters. Instead, journalists were told to gather in an independent part of the building.
Police said the raid was aimed at gathering “evidence of a case of alleged violation of the National Security Act.” They used an order to search and confiscate journalistic materials.
China introduced tough security law almost a year ago to quell dissent after Hong Kong’s 2019 anti-government protests.
The law has paved the way for one repression on the city’s civil liberties, with mass arrests of political activists and the target of anyone who considered themselves disloyal to Beijing, such as school teachers i judges.
Although Thursday’s arrests were not the first move against the media under the restriction, it was the first time authorities cited the security law in an action against journalists.
The security law, which punishes crimes such as subversion and collusion with foreign elements, carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Lai has already been imprisoned in a separate case and his the assets have been frozen, including its 71% stake in Next Media, the company that owns Apple Daily.
Among those arrested Thursday were Ryan Law, chief editor of Apple Daily and Nick Cheung, online editor, according to the newspaper. Also arrested were Cheung Kim-hung, CEO of Next Digital, Royston Chow, chief operating officer, and Chan Pui-man, associate editor.
Police said they had “arrested five directors of a company” under the security law for “collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security.”
Hong Kong Police Chief Chris Tang has pointed to a crackdown on the press, calling for the need Laws of “fake news” that journalists fear giving the authorities greater powers to control the media.
He pointed to the Apple Daily, a popular tabloid known for its willingness to confront and criticize the government, as a possible target for new police action. The newspaper was attacked in August last year.
Critics say the security law has degraded rights, such as freedom of expression, which was promised to Hong Kongers when China took possession of UK territory in 1997.
A Next Media reporter said employees were “mentally prepared” for top editors to be arrested, but was surprised by the magnitude of the police raid. “It is completely nullifying press freedom,” they told the Financial Times.
“I am really worried about the people of Hong Kong if the Apple Daily is lost. . . Other newspapers will be too afraid to report on sensitive issues. “
Despite the attacks and the financial uncertainty created by the freezing of Lai’s assets, the newspaper has promised to continue publishing.
Next Digital announced a suspension of stock trading on Thursday.
[ad_2]
Source link
