Closure looms for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy Apple Daily after raids

Copies of the Apple Daily newspaper can be seen in its print shop after police raided its editorial office and arrested five executives in Hong Kong, China, early June 18, 2021. REUTERS / Jessie Pang

HONG KONG, Jun 21 (Reuters) – Hong Kong pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily appeared to close for good by Saturday after police raids and the arrest of executives – a move that critics say is undermining the city’s status as a free and open society during Beijing The grip strengthens.

Mark Simon, an adviser to the incarcerated owner and convinced Beijing critic Jimmy Lai, told Reuters on Monday the newspaper would have to close “in a few days” after authorities allowed access to the company’s core capital for national security reasons. would have frozen for staff salaries and other expenses. Continue reading

In an internal memo to some Reuters employees, Apple Daily said that the board of directors at parent company Next Media (0282.HK) would decide by the end of the week whether to move on.

“If the board decides not to continue operations on Friday, the online upload will cease that day at 11:59 pm. The newspaper will cease operations after the June 26 issue is published.”

The management of Apple Daily and Next Digital could not be reached for comment. Apple’s financial news team said in an article that it had stopped posting online as early as Tuesday morning.

The gem in Laus Next Digital (0282.HK) media store, Apple Daily is a popular tabloid founded 26 years ago that mixes pro-democratic discourse with prominent gossip and critical reports on China’s communist leaders.

Hundreds of police officers raided the newspaper last week as part of a national security investigation that arrested senior Apple Daily executives for alleged “collusion with a foreign country” and frozen HK $ 18 million (US $ 2.3 million) in assets .

Late Monday, several Hong Kong media reported that Apple Daily and its online edition would cease operations by Wednesday as most of its employees had resigned. Continue reading

Apple’s impending demise follows the imposition of a national security bill on the former British colony last year in response to mass protests for democracy in 2019.

Western democracies, including the United States, say Beijing used the law to stifle freedoms and enforce greater control over the semi-autonomous commercial and financial center.

Police have alleged dozens of Apple Daily articles violate the new security law – the first instance in which authorities target media articles under the controversial legislation.

“TO DEATH” CLOSED

Another high-level source of the company with direct knowledge of the matter said the freezing of the company’s core assets – before a lawsuit or due process proves a crime – made it impossible to pay wages or even utility bills.

“This is an extraordinary thing for a place that prides itself on being a global financial center where you haven’t even brought charges against people and yet you’ve decided to try and choke this company to death.”

“It’s surreal. You know the intensity with which the Chinese Communist Party works. It is evidence of the depths it will sink to to destroy private businesses without even fictitious conviction.”

Editor-in-chief Ryan Law and chief executive officer Cheung Kim-hung were charged with conspiracy to collude with a foreign country and were denied bail on Saturday. Three other senior executives were also arrested Thursday and released pending further investigation.

The company said in the memo that the board of directors had sent a letter to the Hong Kong Security Bureau asking for some assets to be released so it would not violate labor laws by not paying employees. The company asked the security office for a response by Friday.

‘SERIOUS CRIME’

The security bureau said Monday it would not comment given the ongoing legal proceedings and all requests related to the frozen property would be handled in accordance with the law.

“Endangering national security is a very serious crime,” it said in a statement to Reuters, without giving any details.

China’s liaison office in the city did not respond to requests for comment.

The arrests and the extent of the Apple Daily raid have been criticized by Western countries, global human rights groups, press associations and the United Nations chief human rights spokesman.

Security Secretary John Lee said last Thursday the police operation against Apple Daily was against those who use reporting as a tool to compromise national security, and not targeting the media industry as a whole.

China’s Foreign Affairs Commissioner said last week that press freedom cannot be used as a “shield” for those who commit crimes.

Next Digital has come under increasing pressure since Lai’s arrest last year. Lai, whose assets have also been frozen under the Security Act, is in jail for attending unauthorized meetings.

“We hope that even if this platform no longer exists, the journalists from Hong Kong will continue to assert themselves and investigate the truth,” said Ingrid Tse, the presenter of a nightly news program on Apple Daily, who finally said goodbye on Monday .

($ 1 = 7.76 Hong Kong dollars)

Letter from Marius Zaharia; Editing by Toby Chopra

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