Burst
Written by: Ling Yide
2021-06-17 08:20
Last update date: 2021-06-17 13:36
Five senior officials of Next Media were arrested on suspicion of “conspiring to collude with foreign countries or foreign forces to endanger national security” in violation of the National Security Law. Luo Weiguang, editor-in-chief of the Daily.
At the same time, a large number of police officers proceeded to search the Next Media Building in Tseung Kwan O.
The National Security Office of the Police Department issued a statement stating that it held a court warrant to search the building for the purpose of searching evidence for a suspected violation of the National Security Law.
The five arrested persons were all handcuffed and escorted to the "Apple Daily" building for search.
The police stated at the press conference that Apple has been suspected of publishing more than 30 articles calling for sanctions on China and Hong Kong since 2019. The arrested person is a senior executive of the company and has frozen the assets of three companies totaling 18 million yuan.
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[1321] After more than 5 hours of search, the Next Media Building was unblocked, employees were free to enter and exit, and police officers boarded and left.
[1318] Chen Peimin left the "Apple" building under police escort.
[1235] Zhang Jianhong and Zhang Zhiwei were escorted out of the "Apple" building.
[1227] The Next Media Union issued a statement strongly condemning the police's gross violation of press freedom, describing it as a serious violation of press freedom in the name of the National Security Law, urging the police to complete the search and leave the building as soon as possible, and not to interfere with the operation of the newspaper.
The One Labor Union expressed regret over the court’s decision, believing that the warrant would affect the public’s confidence in the media, preventing the public from accepting interviews or providing news materials to reporters for follow-up investigations, which severely weakened the media’s role as a fourth-power monitor.
The One Labor Union reiterated that editors and journalists are not guilty and news reporting is innocent. The editors and editors have always adhered to the profession and principles of journalists. All colleagues will continue to report and try their best to keep the newspaper published as usual.
The union will also continue to monitor the latest situation of the arrested editors and senior executives.
[1225] Luo Weiguang and Zhou Daquan were escorted out of the "Apple" building and will be taken to the police station for detention.
The police officers seized a large number of documents and put them on the secret bucket truck, including a batch of "Apple Daily" physical newspapers.
[1216] The Secretary for Security Li Jiachao said at the press conference that the police action was aimed at companies that colluded with foreign forces and called for foreign countries to impose sanctions on the Hong Kong government and the People’s Republic of China. It has nothing to do with normal journalism and called on others to "do not talk with them." "Shang Relations" emphasized that endangering national security is a serious crime.
[1201] Luo Weiguang once left the building under police escort to the door, but did not get in the car to leave.
The police seized the exhibits in the building.
It is understood that the five arrested persons will leave the Next Media Building one after another.
[1150] Several members claiming to be the "Apple Violence Concern Group" went to the next media building to pull up banners, opened champagne, and cheered the police officers on the scene: "Thank you sir, support the police!"
[1105] Li Guihua, Senior Superintendent of the National Security Division of the Police Department, explained the facts of the case and the details of the operation this morning. He pointed out that at 6 o'clock this morning, he worked with more than 500 people including the Criminal Department and the Tactical Unit. , The People's Republic of China adopted sanctions.
The operation arrested 4 men and 1 woman, aged between 47 and 63, on suspicion of conspiring to collude with foreign countries or foreign forces to endanger national security, violating Article 29 of the National Security Law.
The police action continues and it is not ruled out that more people were arrested.
He alleged that the arrested person is a director of Apple Daily, which is very important to the operation of the company. "The proprietor, publisher, and editor are all responsible for (the newspaper) style and policy." The arrested person has been accused of publishing dozens of articles since 2019. The article calling for foreign sanctions on Hong Kong and the People’s Republic of China, "including physical and online, both in Chinese and English", described the article as "there is strong evidence that the above article is the focus of the conspiracy plan." Impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China against foreign countries.
When answering in English, Li Guihua pointed out that there were more than 30 articles involved in the case.
He said that the police applied to the court for a warrant to search the "Apple" building. The warrant allowed the processing of news materials and the seizure of electronic equipment in the building, including mobile phones and computers.
The police froze 18 million yuan in assets of three companies, including Apple Daily Co., Ltd., Apple Daily Printing Co., Ltd. and AD Internet Limited Apple Internet Co., Ltd.
When asked about the 2019 National Security Act that has not yet been implemented and the National Security Act has no retrospective period, what grounds the police used to act on, Li Guihua replied, "From 2019 to the present, we will occasionally find articles about it. There are dozens of articles on it. This one is an actual situation. In the future, we will really prosecute, and we will deal with it in a similar way. We will discuss it with the Attorney General at that time. In fact, they all show the same situation. This behavior has passed the National Security Council. After the law, it has been maintained, and until recently it has been there. This is the focus of our action this time."
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[1100] Arrested "Apple" vice president Chen Peimin, husband and "Stance News" editor-in-chief Zhong Peiquan stated on Facebook, "Dear friends and relatives, Chen Peimin has the assistance of a lawyer. She is calm, strong and calm. Thank you for your concern and greetings. I will temporarily I’m very sorry that I couldn’t reply to everyone one by one.”
[1030] The police will present the case diplomatically at the "Apple Daily" building at 11 am.
It is reported that the action was related to an article published by Apple Daily after the implementation of the National Security Law in the past period of time.
[1000] Zhang Jianhong, Chief Executive Officer of Next Media Group, arrived at the "Apple Daily" building, with his hands handcuffed.
Chen Peimin was also escorted to the building later.
[0927] The white seven-man car that escorted Luo Weiguang, editor-in-chief of "Apple Daily" to the "Apple Daily" building, Luo was handcuffed with his hands and was taken into the building.
At the same time, Zhang Jianhong, Chief Executive Officer of Next Media Group, and Zhang Zhiwei, Director of Apple Mobile News Platform, also set off for the "Apple Daily" building at Cheung Sha Wan Police Station and Sai Kung Police Station respectively.
[0900] It is understood that the five arrested persons will be escorted to the "Apple Daily" building in Tseung Kwan O for search.
[0844] The police officers boarded the building and stationed at the gate, the top floor and other places. It can be seen that the police officers prepared a large number of light blue plastic boxes, which are believed to be used to take away the evidence.
According to the live broadcast of "Apple", employees of One Media Building must register their employee ID, ID card, and department to enter the building when they go to work.
The police also restricted the area of movement of employees in the building, and some areas were fenced off and could not enter inside.
"Apple" executives are understanding the content of the court warrant.
According to "Apple" reports, there are about 20 employees in the building, including several reporters and cleaners. The policeman asked everyone to lay down and gather in the lobby of the Press Department on the second floor.
The police officer registered the owner's ID card, and then asked the cleaners to call in and leave, and the reporter was asked to go to the staff restaurant on the fifth floor.
Journalists in the building were asked to leave the editorial department and wait in the underground space or on the 5th floor. They were unable to enter and exit the building freely.
Several agents searched the files on the reporter's desk, opened the cabinet, and opened the reporter's computer to search for information. They also asked the reporter to testify nearby.
Five high-level officials of Next Media arrested for violation of national security law
Those arrested include Zhang Jianhong, Chief Executive Officer of Next Media Group, Zhou Daquan, Chief Operating Officer, Luo Weiguang, Editor-in-Chief of Apple Daily, Chen Peimin, Deputy President, and Zhang Zhiwei, Executive Editor-in-Chief.
The police went to the "Apple Daily" editor-in-chief Luo Weiguang's apartment in Quarry Bay on Hong Kong Island to search in the early morning and took Luo away at 7:30 in the morning.
At about the same time, officers of the National Security Department also arrested Zhang Jianxiong, Chow Tat Kwon, Chen Peimin and Zhang Zhiwei in Mei Foo Sun Chuen, Ap Lei Chau South Horizons, Tseung Kwan O Metropark Bay and Sai Kung Wo Mei Village, and escorted them back to Cheung Sha Wan Police Station. Aberdeen Police Station, Tseung Kwan O Police Station and West Page Police Station were detained for investigation.
At the same time, around 7 am, a large number of police vehicles set off along Environmental Avenue in Tseung Kwan O towards the "Apple Daily" newspaper. Over a hundred police officers pulled up a cordon outside the building. Police officers boarded the building and stationed at the gate, the top floor, etc. Liaison team personnel were also on the scene.
This is the second time that the police raided the "Apple Daily" building on August 10 last year for investigating suspected violations of the Hong Kong version of the National Security Law, and arrested the founder of One Media, Li Zhiying, his two sons, and four senior officials of One Media. Action against "Apple Daily".
The National Security Division of the Police Force issued a draft at 8:07 am stating that this morning (17th) the execution of the court warrant issued by the court in accordance with Article 43(1) of the Hong Kong National Security Act (National Security Act) and Schedule 1 of the Implementation Rules , To search a media organization in Tseung Kwan O. The search warrant granted the police the power to search including news materials.
The purpose of the operation was to search evidence for a suspected violation of the National Security Law, and the search operation is still in progress.
The police issued a press release through the Information Services Department at 7:24 am, stating that the National Security Department of the Police Department arrested 5 company directors this morning (June 17) for violating the "Hong Kong National Security Act" (National Security Act).
The 5 people include 4 men and 1 woman, aged between 47 and 63 years old.
They are suspected of violating Article 29 of the National Security Law, "the crime of conspiring to collude with foreign countries or foreign forces to endanger national security."
The police also searched the arrested person's residence.
Five people have been detained for investigation.
Searched Next Media｜The National Security Office of the police arrested 5 Top Media officials for searching the "Apple" building
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