Next Digital raid and arrests

A raid and arrests occurred on 10 August 2020 at the offices of Next Digital, the parent company of Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily. It was part of a law enforcement operation conducted by the Hong Kong Police Force on the suspicion that the company had violated the Hong Kong national security law.

A police cordon outside the Next Digital building on 10 August 2020

A total of 10 people were arrested during the operation, including the founder of Next Digital, Jimmy Lai, his two sons, four senior management staff of Next Media. The police searched Next Media's headquarters building in Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate, causing widespread controversy in the international community.

On the same day, Hong Kong police also arrested three activists: Agnes Chow,[1] Lee Chung-chak and Lee Yu-hin, and sent three officers with a court order to the Hong Kong office of The Nikkei who ran an advert paid for by pro-democracy activists in 2019.[2][3]

Reactions

United Kingdom
  • Former Governor Chris Patten said in a statement to Hong Kong Watch that the arrest of Jimmy Lai on charges of colluding with foreign powers was "yet another serious crackdown on Hong Kong's freedoms and way of life, and the most outrageous attack on Hong Kong's remaining freedom of the press in living memory."[6]

United States
  • In a tweet, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence called the arrest offensive. Pence tweeted that the arrest of Jimmy Lai was "an affront to freedom-loving people around the world. He recalled his meeting with Lai at the White House and said he was encouraged by his insistence on democracy, rights and Beijing's commitment to giving Hong Kong people autonomy. And he said, "The United States will continue to stand with Jimmy Lai and all freedom-loving people of Hong Kong.[7]
  • U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the arrests proved that the Chinese government had "deprived" Hong Kong of its freedom. Pompeo tweeted, "I am deeply troubled by reports that Hong Kong arrested Jimmy Lai under the draconian national security law.", "Further proof that the Chinese Communist Party has already deprived Hong Kong of its freedoms and eroded the rights of its people.[7]

See also

References
  1. "周庭保釋離開大埔警署　形容是多次被捕中最怕的一次". Now新聞台. 2020-08-11. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  2. https://www.france24.com/en/20200828-hong-kong-police-sift-the-past-to-pursue-new-security-law-crimes
  3. "據報警拘黎智英當日 曾到《日經》香港辦公室". 星島日報. 28 August 2020.
  4. "約翰遜重申香港必須維護港人權利與自由". 香港電台 (in Chinese). 2020-08-10.
  5. "【黎智英被捕】英國外交官員亞當斯　對7人被捕深感憂慮". 香港01. 2020-08-10. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
  6. "【港版國安法】彭定康評黎智英被捕兼搜蘋果大樓：這是香港新聞自由歷來所受最離譜的攻擊". 蘋果日報. 香港. 2020-08-10. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
  7. "Hong Kong arrest of media mogul Jimmy Lai sparks international condemnation". South China Morning Post. 2020-08-11. Archived from the original on 2020-08-11. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  8. "The Chinese Communist Party and their puppets in Hong Kong continue to silence and intimidate those speaking up for democracy and human rights". Rick Scott. 2020-08-10. Archived from the original on 2020-08-10. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
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