Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai arrested under new national security law
Source: The Guardian
One of Hong Kong’s most strident pro-democracy figures has been arrested and the newspaper he runs searched by police in a stark escalation by authorities enforcing new national security laws brought in by Beijing.
The raid on Apple Daily, Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy daily paper, and arrest of Jimmy Lai and senior executives, were condemned by activists and journalists, who said they marked “the day press freedom officially died”.
Lai, a 71-year-old media tycoon and outspoken funder of the pro-democracy movement, was arrested alongside six others including his son, on suspicion of “collusion with foreign forces” and conspiracy to commit fraud on Monday morning.
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Lai, who also holds UK citizenship, is the most high-profile figure detained under the law, and if charged with foreign collusion offences would faces potential sentences of three to 10 years in prison – or up to life for an offence “of a grave nature”.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/10/hong-kong-media-tycoon-jimmy-lai-arrested-over-alleged-foreign-collusion
BBC report:
The Global Times also reported that two of his sons as well as two senior executives of Next Digital had also been arrested.
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For that, China's official news media have often branded him the leader of the "Gang of Four" which incites unrest in the city. Beijing was also infuriated when he met US Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last year.
But while Next Media has often been criticised for its sensationalism, it remains one of the very few media outlets with an owner who has no business interest in mainland China.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-53717843
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