Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai Police arrest and RAID his newspaper under the National Security Law

Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai Police arrest and RAID his newspaper under the National Security Law

Hong Kong police arrested media tycoon Jimmy Lai and raided the offices of its flagship newspaper, the most important case yet against democracy activists in the city under a national law of security that the United States and China have fueled tensions. Lai was when he was taken away by officers shown on Monday morning from his home in handcuffs, after a live feed broadcast from its new Digital network support Ltd. When a reporter Lai for his views on the arrest asked , responded: “what have I seen? you want to arrest me.” police said that seven persons aged 39-72 had the “arrested” suspected security laws violations to compromise with offenses including collusion with a foreign country or outside elements of national security. An investigation is underway, he said. While the force did not name the people arrested, Lai is 72 years. The arrest of Lai was reported by Apple Daily, the digital newspaper Next tip. Other commissioned Lais two sons and other key members of the next including digital, Oriental Daily reported, citing unidentified people. Apple Daily reported this morning that about 200 officers entered their offices. Police in Hong Kong said on Facebook that he had received a court issued a warrant to enter a building in the district of Tseung Kwan O – where are the digital Next office – to investigate crimes against national security. You did not mention Apple Daily mail. “Since it is a media company, we are aware that journalistically involving his material,” Li Kwai-wah, Senior Superintendent of Police Department of Homeland Security, said in the briefing before the office building. “So my officers and I have conducted a preliminary investigation to find out which rooms we were not looking – for example, mapping and reporting desk. If there be a possibility that would be news material from there, we do not perform a search. “Lai was shown walking around the office in the Apple Daily upcoming live digital feeds and the police had shown him the mandate. Digital Next shares fell as much as 16.7% to the lowest level ever recorded Monday morning after reports of arrests. China called the complete safety laws that bar subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, a “sword of Damocles” hanging over the heads of his harshest critics. There is concern among activists and foreign governments have urged that they are used to bring fundamental freedoms in the city to silence. “With the adoption of the National Security Law, Beijing an adjustment in full rule of Hong Kong, has launched” Carl Minzner, a law professor at Fordham Law School and author said that the book End of an era “: How the authoritarian China Revival undermines its ascent. “” the ultimate goal is to die, Festland-isierung’von Hong Kong -. sweat look more closely at China and neutralize all political and social elements, the authorities of the party as problematic ” the United States has led foreign governments concern for the security law to bring to the expression and say Hong Kong could not be considered sufficient autonomy from the mainland. has some special trade privileges revoked the help support the city’s reputation as an international business center, and Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam and other officials sanctioned. , Worried Seriously ‘The Trump administration also reacted strongly to Hong Kong a dozen pro-democracy lawmakers blocked by campaigns for the office and then planning a year of parliamentary elections in late September. To make the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature in Beijing Congress and is expected to discuss issues of postponement of Hong Kong, the choice is this week. It is not clear if the four sitting MPs who were disqualified from the campaign for the election would stay allowed for the legislature of the extended term. The South China Morning Post reported Monday, citing sources, that would be allowed to stay after Lam said the central government should extend the terms of all legislators. In a joint statement over the weekend of the countries of the so-called Alliance Five Eyes intelligence sharing, the Secretary of State Michael Pompey and the foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, Australia and forms the New Zealand saying they were “deeply concerned” by disqualifications and election postponement. “These moves undermined the democratic process that has been crucial to the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong,” the statement said. “We express deep concern about the introduction of the new law on national security, undermining the Hong Kong people the rights and fundamental freedoms in Beijing”. What can I do? ” We are a reference point for the idea of ​​freedom and democracy, “Lai earlier Bloomberg Businessweek says. In an interview with the last week criticized the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Lai rushed implementation of the National Security Law, calling it an” error “for the Chinese Communist Party, which he said was already struggling with the slowdown of the Chinese economy.” I’m being followed, just this morning, my driver told me that, you know, look at this baby on the left side, he’s there every day, trying to see what I’m going home, “Lai said.” I can not be afraid. When I am afraid, what can I do? I can not say anything, I can do nothing. The smartest thing is that the CCP can do is to induce fear in you to submit your “Asked if his comments were a violation of the law on security and risking the mainland arrested and taken, said Lai.” Yes. “But said he was not afraid.” What can I do? Just stay calm? “Lais Media Group and Apple Daily sustained protests by one meaningful choices that rocked the city last year, but it has been years since I was playing a central role in the democracy movement in Hong Kong could be seen. was in February on charges of participating in an unauthorized assembly in 2019 and intimidating a journalist two years ago, and police arrested granted bail. in June, it was called to a Hong Kong court Incite support a vigil on June 4, marks the anniversary of the Tiananmen square massacre Joshua Wong, one of the leading activists of the city, he wrote on Twitter that he strongly condemned Lai stop Hong Kong has its first arrests under the law -. . of a handful of demonstrators – the day after being handed down. Lam has defended the law on national security and development, “most important” in the relations between Hong Kong and the moment or that the town was handed over to Chinese rule in 1997 -With the help of Karen Leigh and Kari Lindberg Beijing called.