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Hong Kong's new security law is transforming the city even faster than expected

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It’s been less than six weeks since a security law banning secession, subversion and collusion came into force in Hong Kong. But it’s already having a dramatic effect on the city’s political, media and online spheres.
Hong KongIt’s been less than six weeks since a security law banning secession, subversion and collusion came into force in Hong Kong. But it’s already having a dramatic effect on the city’s political, media and online spheres. On Monday, some 200 police officers raided the headquarters of Apple Daily, the city’s most-read pro-democracy newspaper. A number of top executives were arrested, including the paper’s multi-millionaire owner Jimmy Lai. Police said Lai faced charges of colluding with foreign countries, a crime under the new law. Lai had strong ties in Washington, particularly with the Republican Party, and has testified before US Congress in the past. Hours later on Monday, Agnes Chow, a 23-year-old pro-democracy politician, was arrested on suspicion of inciting secession, another new offense. Chow is a former member of Demosisto, a political party founded by prominent activist Joshua Wong that was disbanded shortly after the security law came into force. Another former Demosisto leader, Nathan Law, has fled overseas, where he is being sought by Hong Kong police. Prominent Hong Kong democracy activist Agnes Chow looks out of a car window while being driven away by police from her home after she was arrested under the new national security law in Hong Kong late on August 10, 2020. Read More Earlier this month, a dozen pro-democracy candidates were barred from standing in upcoming legislative elections on national security grounds. Soon after, the elections were postponed until next year, which the government said was due to a recent spike in coronavirus cases in the city. When the security law was introduced, the government offered assurances that the legislation was limited in scope and would — in the words of Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam — only target « an extremely small minority of offenders while the life and property as well as various legitimate basic rights and freedoms enjoyed by the overwhelming majority of citizens will be protected.

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