Hong-Kong Pro-Democracy Apple Daily Outlet Says Its Executives Detained Under Security Law

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th June, 2021) Hong Kong police have detained five executives of the Apple Daily newspaper � a vocal opponent of Beijing � over alleged violation of the recently-adopted national security law, the newspaper reported on Thursday.

The detainees � CEO Cheung Kim-hung, COO Royston Chow, Chief Editor Ryan Law, Associate Publisher Chan Pui-man and Platform Director of Apple Daily Digital Cheung Chi-wai � are accused of "collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security." They were taken to a police station.

Hundreds of police officers also raided the news outlet's headquarters in the Tseung Kwan O district early in the morning, with all entrances of the office blocked. The newspaper added that journalists were not allowed to return to their own desks during the raid, as well as were banned from filming or live-streaming the police operation.

China's newly-adopted law adjusts security policies in Hong Kong to Beijing's perception of crime and punishment with regard to separatism, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign countries. The critics of the law in the Chinese special administrative region and abroad fear that it might limit Hong Kong's exclusive rights and freedoms.

The newspaper's founder, Jimmy Lai, became the highest-profile Hong Konger arrested under the new national security law. He was found guilty of organizing and taking part in what the government considers to be unauthorized rallies in the summer of 2019 and sentenced to a year in prison in April. In May,, the media tycoon got another 14 months of imprisonment.