The media executive was arrested along with others in a blow to Hong Kong’s freedoms.
Hong Kong authorities arrested a prominent pro-democracy media mogul on Monday, another sign that the sweeping national security law imposed by China last month is stifling the territory’s freedoms. Jimmy Lai was detained Monday over allegations of colluding with foreign powers. Lai is the found and owner of Next Digital, which publishes Apple Daily, a Hong Kong publication that has backed the pro-democracy protests. Lai himself has been outspoken in his support for the pro-democracy camp and has been arrested before for allegedly participating in an unauthorized pro-democracy protest. Two of Lai’s sons were also arrested Monday, along with Cheung Kim-hung, Next Digital’s CEO. Agnes Chow, a high-profile leader in Hong Kong’s democracy movement, was also detained. In total, Hong Kong authorities said at least 10 people, ages 23 to 72, were arrested on national-security and other charges, including advocating for foreign sanctions. Lai is one of the most notable figures arrested under the new national security law that went into effect July 1. The law gives China broad powers to crack down on dissent, which includes loosely defined crimes of “secession, subversion, organization and perpetration of terrorist activities, and collusion with a foreign country or with external elements.” It also carries harsh penalties, including the potential for life imprisonment. Lai’s detainment has chilling implications for press freedom in Hong Kong. More than 200 police raided Apple Daily’s office, an operation that took nine hours, according to the South China Morning Post. Close to 200 police from the national security division as well as police in military uniforms were at the scene. Again, this is the office of a media organization rather than the scene of a terrorist attack. pic.twitter.com/8IQE4PRWZk After @appledaily_hk founder @JimmyLaiApple’s arrest, over 200 PTU raided Apple Daily office without warrant. This is an unprecedented move. Deploying such disproportional amount of policemen to raid the office of a newspaper is a clear signal that HKSAR is oppressing free press pic.twitter.com/NWKHpna52L Apple Daily reporters livestreamed the raid, showing police officers rummaging through papers on reporters’ desks. Chinese authorities brought Lai to the offices during the raid, escorting him through the offices as police searched. According to the Washington Post, authorities carted away 25 boxes worth of material. Officers just casually poking through documents on desks, tho reporter on livestream repeats search warrant not yet served. @appledaily_hk employee asked officers what their search area was; no answer. Apple Daily lawyer yet to arrive & may not be able to enter cordoned-off bldg pic.twitter.com/RXoDTpEfdz In a thread posted on Twitter, Apple Daily accused police of ignoring the terms of the search warrant “and rifled through news materials, as well as restricting press members from reporting and obstructing a news organization from operating.” “Beijing’s national security law for Hong Kong claims to guarantee residents’ freedom of speech, of the press and of publication, but the authorities’ actions have proved otherwise,” the statement continued. “Raiding a news institution is a severe attack on press freedom and should not be tolerated in a civilized society.” Apple Daily described Hong Kong’s press freedom as “hanging by thread,” though it vowed to fight on. “The arrest of Jimmy Lai and Agnes Chow (one of the student activist leaders) is the largest affront yet to violations of freedom of speech and press in Hong Kong,” Lynette H.
