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HK Police Raid Pro-Democracy Newspaper

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HK Police Raid Pro-Democracy Newspaper InternationalFriday FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 Myanmar dissidents evade junta with First astronauts arrive at China’s new space station Page 15 life on the run Page 16 HONG KONG: Apple Daily Chief Operations Officer Chow Tat Kuen (2nd R) is escorted by police to a waiting vehicle from the offices of the local Apple Daily newspaper in Hong Kong yesterday, after Hong Kong police arrested the chief editor and four executives. — AFP HK police raid pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily’s five executives arrested, seize $2.3 million assets HONG KONG: Hong Kong national security po- Police said the five executives were arrested for tool to engage in acts that endanger national se- Crackdown lice conducted a fresh raid on the pro-democracy collusion with a foreign country or external ele- curity.” Sharron Fast, a lecturer at the University The security law is the speartip of a sweeping newspaper Apple Daily yesterday, arresting five ments “to endanger national security”. “They have of Hong Kong’s journalism school, described Lee’s crackdown on Beijing’s critics in Hong Kong since executives and carting off computers in the latest overall responsibility for the content, style and comments as “ominous and incorrect”. “It is pre- 2019’s huge democracy protests. It has crimi- blow to the outspoken tabloid. The paper and its principles of news reporting,” senior superintend- cisely the role of a journalist in a free society to nalised much dissent, given China jurisdiction over jailed owner Jimmy Lai have long been a thorn in ent Steve Li told reporters. Authorities also seized report on political views, even those that might be some cases and awarded authorities a suite of Beijing’s side with unapologetic support for the HK$18 million (US$2.3 million) in Apple Daily as- unwelcome,” she told AFP. powerful new investigation powers. Those con- financial hub’s pro-democracy movement and sets, the first time a national security law seizure Among the arrested executives were chief ed- victed face up to life in prison and the majority scathing criticism of China’s authoritarian leaders. order has been made directly against a Hong Kong itor Ryan Law and CEO Cheung Kim-hung who are denied bail after arrest. More than 500 officers conducted a dawn op- media company, rather than an individual. were both led into the building in handcuffs. Hong Yesterday’s raid was the second on Apple Daily eration which authorities said was sparked by ar- Kong’s stock exchange said trading in shares of in less than a year. The tabloid’s billionaire owner ticles Apple Daily had published “appealing for ‘Ominous’ Next Digital-the publisher of the newspaper-had Lai, 73, was charged with collusion after hundreds sanctions” against Hong Kong and China’s lead- Hong Kong is historically a major international been halted. After the raid, reporters returned to of officers searched the paper’s newsroom last Au- ers. It is the first time the content of media report- media hub but its press freedom ranking has a semi-gutted newsroom with the paper saying gust. He is currently serving multiple jail sentences ing has sparked arrests under the city’s new slipped dramatically in recent years. Secretary for 38 computers were taken away as well as hard for attending various protests. Beijing has made no national security law. Security John Lee declined to say which articles drives and reporter notepads. A photographer, secret of its desire to see the paper’s voice tamed, In a message to readers, Apple Daily warned breached the security law or whether those who who gave just a nickname KT, said the latest op- with state media routinely describing Lai as a “trai- that Hong Kong’s press freedoms were “hanging shared the articles online, bought Apple Daily or eration had “created terror for every Apple Daily tor” and a “black hand”. Last month, police used by a thread” but the paper vowed to “stand tall”. its shares might be at risk. “Everyone must decide staff”. “If I get arrested for reporting the news, I the national security law to freeze Lai’s bank ac- Its union described the operation as a “wanton vi- for themselves,” he told reporters. will have no regrets,” he told AFP. Executive chief counts and his majority shares in Next Digital. Until olation of press freedom” that “displayed how “Our actions are not targeting press freedom editor Lam Man-chung, who was not among yesterday’s raid, authorities had left the company’s much police power has inflated under the national or journalistic work,” he added. “We target per- those arrested, told AFP that staff would “try all assets alone. It is unclear whether Apple Daily will security law”. petrators who would use journalistic work as a our best to publish newspapers for tomorrow”. now be able to pay its staff. — AFP.
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