Hong Kong police arrested media tycoon Jimmy Lai and robbed the publisher’s headquarters in high profile on Monday while still using a new national security law that Beijing had on the city in June. “Jimmy Lai is being arrested for collusion with foreign powers at the moment,” Mark Simon, executive director of Lai’s media group and his aide, wrote on Twitter.
Masking and wearing a blue shirt and a light gray blazer, Lai was led out of his home in Kowloon by police officers who were also wearing surgical masks and was taken away.
The 71-year-old owns popular tabloid Apple Daily and is a vocal pro-democracy figure in Hong Kong who regularly criticizes the authoritarian government of China.
More than 100 police officers also raided the Hong Kong media group Next Digital, which founded Lai, entered the newsroom and searched desks. It was not clear what police were looking for. Simon said in a tweet that they were conducting a search. Police later said they took 25 boxes of evidence for processing.
TYRONE SIU / REUTERS
Lai was handcuffed by the bureau during the robbery, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
Sometimes officers appeared to go into heated exchanges with Next Digital staff on the scene. Police raided the headquarters while the robbery took place.
Hong Kong police said at least nine people between the ages of 39 and 72 were arrested on suspicion of violating the new security law, with crimes including collusion with a foreign country, but the statement revealed the names of those were arrested. The police have not ruled out further arrests.
Two of Lai’s sons were among those detained, according to AFP, citing a police source.
Washington Post Hong Kong Bureau Chief Shibani Mahtani tweeted that a senior Apple Daily journalist said, “Threatening the closure of Apple Daily and other media organizations is the goal – so that no one wins to speak at the end. It is not an exaggeration to say that this is the end of Hong Kong. freedom of the press. “
A senior Apple Daily executive promised that the newspaper would be published as usual on Tuesday, the Reuters news agency said.
Lai’s arrest, coming days after the US government announced sanctions on Hong Kong and mainland Chinese officials, shows China’s determination to move forward with enforcing the new law despite outside pressure.
The officials first lift the sanctions, which could have a practical effect, with one saying that being appointed by the US proved he was doing the right thing for Hong Kong and China. They have dismissed any criticism of Hong Kong policy as foreign interference in China’s domestic affairs.
But Beijing said Monday it would impose sanctions on U.S. officials including Republican senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida in response to those imposed by Washington, according to Reuters.
Simon said police searched both Lai’s house and a son, arresting several other members of Next Digital.
It was not immediately clear how Lai or others may have joined the newspaper with foreign troops since the law went into effect.
Last year, Lai met with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the White House to discuss Hong Kong’s controversial legislation – since withdrawing – that would have allowed criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China to stand trial. .
But Hong Kong officials have said the national security law, which went into effect June 30, would not be applied retroactively. The law is widely seen as a means of curbing dissent after protests against government shook the semi-autonomous city for months past.
Next Digital serves the Apple Daily tabloid, which Lai founded in 1995, prior to the transfer of Britain from Hong Kong to China. Like Lai, Apple Daily has a strong pro-democracy stance and often urges its readers to take part in pro-democracy protests.
The security law prohibits secessionist, subversive and terrorist acts, as well as collusion with foreign troops in the city’s domestic affairs. The maximum penalty for serious offenders is life imprisonment.
Last month, Chinese broadcaster CCTV said pro-democracy activist Nathan Law and five others were wanted under the law, even though all six had fled abroad. Law had moved to Britain in July to continue international legal work for Hong Kong.
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