Following arrest of Apple Daily editor and executives, US urged China to stop attacking free media

United States he urged Thursday to Hong Kong stop attacking the media, warning that raids on pro-democracy Apple Daily they have undermined the city’s credibility as an international center.

“We call on the authorities to stop attacking independent and free mediaState Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.

“Efforts to stifle media freedom and restrict the free flow of information not only undermine Hong Kong’s democratic institutions, but also undermine the credibility and viability of Hong Kong as an international center.“Add the letter.

Hong Kong police raided the offices of the pro-democracy daily on Thursday for the second time in less than a year Apple Daily Yes arrested five executives, including the editor-in-chief of this media, who warned that press freedom in this territory “hangs by a thread”.

These arrests, in the name of the drastic law on national security, are the latest setback against the popular tabloid and its jailed owner, billionaire Jimmy Lai.

More than 500 police officers participated this Thursday morning in the operation, in connection with articles published by the Apple Daily “urge punishments“Against Hong Kong and the Chinese leaders, according to the police. This is the first time that an article’s content has resulted in arrests due to Beijing’s national security law last year.

In a message to its readers, the Apple Daily said that “the protection of press freedom in Hong Kong is hanging by a thread.” The newspaper’s journalists’ union called the operation a “gratuitous violation of press freedom” which “This reflects how the power of the police has increased under the law.”

The five managers were arrested “for conspiring with a foreign country or external elements to endanger national security”, according to the police. Police also froze assets of Apple Daily worth $ 2.3 million.

“I will not regret”

Hong Kong Minister of Security, John lee, declined to say which articles violated the security law or whether people who shared the texts also they were in the crosshairs of justice.

“This does not go against the freedom of the press”, he claimed. “We are focusing on a conspiracy threatening national security and journalists who, through their work, participate in events that threaten national security ”.

Apple Daily broadcast the raid live on its Facebook account and in the footage, he was observed as police cordoned off the compound and entered the building. Those arrested included editor-in-chief Ryan Law and CEO Cheung Kim-hung.

After the device, the journalists returned to the editorial staff, completely looted. According to them, the police took 38 computers, hard drives and notebooks with notes.

For a press photographer, it is “create a climate of terror for Apple Daily employees”. “But if they stop me for wanting to share the news, I won’t regret it.”

The National Security Law, which entered into force in June 2020, spearheads the widespread crackdown on China’s criticism of Hong Kong since the huge pro-democracy protests of 2019.

Those convicted under the new law face life imprisonment, and most are denied bail upon arrest.

With information from AFP

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