Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been arrested and his newsroom raided by police in the semi-autonomous nation’s semi-autonomous nation of China’s new security law.
The 71-year-old Lai is an outspoken pro-democracy figure and regularly criticizes the authoritarian rule of China and the Hong Kong government. He leads the Next Digital Group, which serves the pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily. The paper often condemns the Chinese Communist Party government and has urged readers to take part in anti-government protests they wanted last year.
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Lai was accused of colluding with foreign powers, said Mark Simon, an executive Next Digital and Lai assistant. Simon said police also searched the homes of Lai and his son and arrested several other members of the media company.
Lai, center, was arrested Monday by police at his Hong Kong home. (AP Photo)
When police arrested Lai at his home, about 200 officers raided the Next Digital headquarters. Desks were searched and 25 boxes of what authorities called evidence were selected from the building.
Hong Kong police said they had arrested at least nine people between the ages of 23 and 72 on suspicion of violating the new security law, with crimes including collusion with a foreign country and collusion to defraud. They did not let the names of those arrested or give more details about the prosecutors.
Hong Kong police arrested Lai and robbed the publisher’s headquarters on Monday, using the highest profile yet of Beijing’s new national security law imposed on the city following protests last year. (Apple Daily via AP)
“With the passage of the National Security Act and the really heavy powers given to the police in their operations, we have now seen what we call ‘white terror’ become a reality, which will affect media organizations’ reporting. and journalists, “said Chris Yeung, president of the Hong Kong Journalists Association.
Beijing’s national security law went into effect in late June amid growing pro-democracy protests in semi-autonomous Chinese territory. Critics have declared the law being abused to suppress free speech, civil rights, political activity and academic independence.
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Late last month, Hong Kong disqualified at least 12 pro-democracy nominees from a legislative election in September, after the government said the candidates had failed to be loyal to both Hong Kong and Beijing. The city postponed the election by one year.
The move follows the dismissal of pro-democracy leader Benny Tai from his position as associate law professor at Hong Kong University and the arrests of four youths, ages 16 to 21, on suspicion of inciting secession through an independence organization. Hong Kong on social media.
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In response to Hong Kong’s enforcement of the new law, the Trump administration announced Friday that it is sanctioning Hong Kong’s Carrie Lam as part of a wave of sanctions against city officials over its ‘policy of repression’. the Chinese government.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
