Police arrested five Apple Daily executives and raided the pro-democracy tabloid’s headquarters Thursday morning, a move that many are calling yet another assault on the city’s dwindling press freedoms.
The five directors are suspected of “collu[ding] with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security,” according to a government statement.
Among those arrested were Chief Executive Cheung Kim-hung and Chief Editor Ryan Law, Apple Daily reported. Police also searched the directors’ homes.
At around 6 am, police arrived at Apple Daily’s Tseung Kwan O office and locked down the premises, barring staff from entering the building.
A photo posted by the tabloid showed officers sitting in front of reporters’ computers and accessing their files, the post’s caption read. The police’s search warrant covered “seizure of journalistic materials,” according to a government statement.
Outside the headquarters building, senior superintendent of police under the national security department Li Kwai-wah addressed the press, confirming that they arrested four men and one woman. Police said they had uncovered evidence—over 30 articles in both Chinese and English—suspected of requesting foreign countries to impose sanctions against Hong Kong and China.
Read more: Chairperson of Hong Kong pro-Beijing group caught on video dumping Apple Daily newspaper into bin
The scenes were reminiscent of a raid that police conducted at the Apple Daily headquarters last August. On the same day, Jimmy Lai, the tabloid’s founder and an outspoken supporter of the city’s pro-democracy movement, was arrested under the national security law.
Jailed since last December, the 73-year-old is currently serving a 20-month sentence for participating in the 2019 anti-government protests.
Lai’s case was moved to the High Court following a Tuesday hearing. He faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment if convicted of violating the Beijing-implemented security law.
