Hong Kong Security Act: Another prominent journalist arrested by Apple Daily

In Hong Kong, a prominent former employee of the pro-democracy newspaper "Apple Daily" was arrested again on the basis of the so-called security law.

The AFP news agency learned on Wednesday that the National Security Police took former editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung into custody.

An official statement from the police said that a 51-year-old ex-Apple Daily employee had been arrested for “secretly collaborating with foreign forces”.

"Cooperation with foreign forces" is one of the offenses defined in the so-called National Security Act, which can be punished with life imprisonment.

The controversial law was enacted by the Chinese leadership last year in response to the 2019 mass pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

It allows the Hong Kong authorities to crack down on any activity that they believe threatens China's national security.

Lam is the ninth Apple Daily employee to be arrested under the Security Act.

The 51-year-old was responsible for the last edition of the newspaper, which appeared in June after 26 years.

"Apple Daily" owner Jimmy Lai is currently in custody.

The 73-year-old democracy activist has also been charged with collaborating with foreign forces and has not been released on bail.

The Hong Kong Journalists' Association had described the freedom of the press in the Special Administrative Region as "ruined" last week.

On Tuesday, the Hong Kong public broadcaster RTHK received a letter with new guidelines for reporting on Taiwan.

It is forbidden for employees in the future to refer to the President of Taiwan as such.

There can also no longer be any talk of a "government" on the island on public radio.

"Inappropriate terms" such as "country" or "Republic of China" should no longer be used in reporting on Taiwan, the letter said.

"Under no circumstances should Taiwan be labeled or portrayed as a sovereign state."

Beijing views Taiwan, which broke away from China in 1949, as a breakaway province to be reunited with the mainland.

In recent years, China has massively increased economic, military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan.

isd / ans