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Hong Kong: media mogul and prominent activist Jimmy Lai arrested

2020-08-10T06:55:22.092Z


Jimmy Lai is one of the most prominent figures in the democracy movement in Hong Kong. Now he's been arrested. Police raided the editorial offices of Lai's Apple Daily newspaper. Six other people were also arrested.


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Hong Kong police arrested Jimmy Lai at the Apple's Daily headquarters

Photo: VERNON YUEN / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock

The well-known media mogul and activist Jimmy Lai  (71) was arrested in the biggest blow to date against the Hong Kong democracy movement since the introduction of a controversial security law  . This was reported unanimously by Apple Daily, which is owned by the manager's company, and other Hong Kong media outlets on Monday. Lai are accused of collusion with forces abroad, fraud and other violations.

In addition to Lai, his two sons Timothy and Ian and several members of the management team were also taken into custody. A large contingent of officials searched the offices of Lai's company Next Digital. The Hong Kong Police Department said on Twitter that initially seven people between the ages of 39 and 72 were arrested on suspicion of violating the security law.

The arrest of the multimillionaire, who is considered a sharp critic of the Chinese leadership, as well as the search of his media company by more than 200 police officers are the harshest and most visible measures against the Hong Kong democracy movement since Beijing passed the law to protect national security in its special administrative region at the end of June put into effect.

China faces heavy criticism internationally for its Hong Kong policy. The law targets activities that China considers subversive, separatist, or terrorist. It is the most extensive encroachment on Hong Kong's autonomy to date and gives China's state security extensive powers. Hong Kong's democratic opposition believes that the law targets them.

Sanctions against Prime Minister Carrie Lam

Since the return of the former British Crown Colony to China in 1997, Hong Kong has been ruled autonomously with its own liberties. From the point of view of critics, the State Security Act marks the end of the "one country, two systems" principle that has been pursued since then. It is also seen as a violation of China's international obligations in returning Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong opposition criticized the police's actions. Raids like this are designed to suppress press freedom and voices from dissidents under the guise of national security law, the Civic Party said.

Before the arrests, the United States put sanctions against Hong Kong's Prime Minister Carrie Lam and other politicians in place on Friday, which met with sharp criticism in Hong Kong. Prime Minister Lam was recently heavily criticized for the controversial postponement of the Hong Kong election by a year. She had denied political motives and justified the postponement with the coronavirus risk after the increase in new infections.

more on the subject

  • Response to US sanction: China orders closure of US consulate in Chengdu

  • EU and NATO criticize law: China's President Xi signs security law for Hong Kong

The foreign ministers of the USA, Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia call on the Hong Kong government to hold the election as soon as possible. For this, the disqualified candidates would also have to be admitted again, they demanded in a joint statement on Sunday. Only in this way could there be an election that respects "the democratic rights and freedoms" of Hong Kong's citizens. Beijing's recent interference in Hong Kong through the security law is "very worrying." This undermines the fundamental rights and freedoms of Hong Kong citizens, it said

akn / dpa / afp

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2020-08-10

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