Apple Daily raids and arrests


The offices of Apple Daily, once the largest pro-democracy newspaper in Hong Kong, and its parent company, Next Digital, were raided and executives arrested by the Hong Kong Police Force on 10 August 2020 and again on 17 June 2021. Some of the arrested and three companies of Next Digital were charged under the Hong Kong national security law. The 26-year-old newspaper was forced to close in June 2021 following the raids and freezing of its capital.

Background

National Security Law

Before Hong Kong national security law was imposed by the Beijing Government and officially promulgated by the Hong Kong Government on 30 June 2020, Jimmy Lai, the founder of Next Digital, was rumoured to be a target under the new law. Lai insisted on not leaving Hong Kong; during two interviews on 16 and 29 June he said that he was expecting to be jailed. He also vowed to fight until the last moment.

First raid

Events

In the morning on 10 August 2020, the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force arrested founder of Next Digital Jimmy Lai. Four senior management staff of the company, CEO Cheung Kim-hung, CFO Royston Chow Tat-kuen, Administrative Director Wong Wai-keung, and Animation Director Ng Tat-kwong, were arrested on suspicion on conspiracy to commit fraud, while Chow was also with the suspicion of collusion with foreign forces under the National Security Law. Two sons of Lai were arrested also under the suspicion of collusion with foreign forces. Mark Simon, the adviser to Lai who was not in Hong Kong, was reportedly wanted by the police. He later confirmed on Twitter that Lai had been arrested under the national security law.
Nearly 200 police cordoned, raided, and searched the headquarters of Next Digital and Apple Daily in Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate at 10 am after making arrests. Ryan Law Wai-kwong, editor-in-Chief of Apple Daily, asked the cops to show the search warrant issued by the court. Apple Daily said such request was ignored, but the Police Force later rejected such claim. The administrative Department of Apple Daily called the staff not to come to work due to unexpected situations. Some journalists were prevented from picturing the office desk by the police, while those at the office had their personal information taken by the police. It was said the departments of local news, breaking news and finance news were raided.
Handcuffed Lai was brought to the office at around 11 am. Chan Pui-man, Associate Publisher of Apple Daily, and Law insisted to monitor the raid and argued that the search warrant did not cover the news material, which was echoed by Steve Li Kwai-wah from the National Security Department, although the police took away the materials and threatened to arrest two with suspicion of obstructing police officers. Cheung, also handcuffed, arrived at noon. Lawyers were permitted to reach Lai and Cheung after negotiations with the police. Editors while working and reporters were asked to leave the office, blocked from taking photos of Cheung, and were stopped from entering the editing department of the office.
Lai and Cheung left the office at around 1 pm following three-hour raid in the office. Computers, mobile phones, details of the exiled activists and other evidences were said to be taken away. Some pro-Beijing activists celebrated the raid outside the office.
Controversies stirred as local and international reporters from RTHK, Stand News, Inmedia, AFP and Reuters were not allowed to enter press area, while media said to be pro-government were allowed in.
On the same day, Hong Kong police also arrested three activists: Agnes Chow, Wilson Li Chung-chak and Andy Li Yu-hin, and sent three officers with a court order to the Hong Kong office of The Nikkei who ran an advert paid for by pro-democracy activists in 2019.

Reactions

The unprecedented raid caused widespread controversy in the international community.

Hong Kong

  • Chairman of Hong Kong Journalists Association Yeung Kin-hing described the raid as destroying press freedom in Hong Kong, shaping white terror in the city only to be seen in the Third World.
  • The Next Digital Trade Union strongly condemned police operation saying it was extremely rare and severe in the history of Hong Kong. The Union criticized the search of news material as an abuse of power and to harass news media, and vowed to guard the post.
  • Foreign Correspondents' Club stated the operation eroded the reputation of Hong Kong and signaled the end of press freedom in Hong Kong.
  • Several groups from the media released joint statement, urging the police to elaborate on the aim and legal basis of this operation, or else the operation shall be suspended immediately.
  • 22 Pro-democracy legislators strongly denounced the police as intimidating the media. Now-exiled former legislator Nathan Law described the arrest operation as "crazy".
  • Pro-Beijing DAB and FTU supported the police operation as to guard the national security.

    People's Republic of China

  • Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council firmly supported Hong Kong Police's operation and criticized Lai as a foreign political agent.
  • Spokesman of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zhao Lijian insisted China to be a society with rule of law, and supported the action by the Government of HKSAR.
  • Editor-in-chief of Global Times, Hu Xijin, said in Weibo that Lai was obviously a hanjian, and described the sanctions from the United States as "a rotten egg hitting the rock".

    Taiwan

  • President Tsai Ing-wen strongly denounced the Hong Kong government of damaging press freedom, rule-of-law, human rights, and democracy, leading to a chilling effect within the media industry.
  • The Mainland Affairs Council denounced the "evil" actions by the Hong Kong government, believing such acts would only shame the international image of CCP and Hong Kong.
  • Premier Su Tseng-chang urged CCP to keep the promise of 50-year pledge.

    United Kingdom

  • The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said the arrest of Next Digital Group founder Jimmy Lai showed that the Hong Kong National Security Law is being used to silence opposition voices and reaffirms that Hong Kong must protect the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people.
  • Nigel Adams, Secretary of State for Asia at the UK Foreign Office, tweeted his deep concern over the arrest of Jimmy Lai and others.
  • Former Governor Chris Patten said to Hong Kong Watch that the arrest of Jimmy Lai on charges of colluding with foreign powers was "yet another serious crackdown on Hong Kong's freedoms and way of life, and the most outrageous attack on Hong Kong's remaining freedom of the press in living memory."

    United States

  • In a tweet, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence described the arrest as offensive. Pence tweeted that the arrest of Jimmy Lai was "an affront to freedom-loving people around the world. He recalled his meeting with Lai at the White House and said he was encouraged by his insistence on democracy, rights and Beijing's commitment to giving Hong Kong people autonomy. And he said, "The United States will continue to stand with Jimmy Lai and all freedom-loving people of Hong Kong.
  • U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the arrests proved that the Chinese government had "deprived" Hong Kong of its freedom. Pompeo tweeted, "I am deeply troubled by reports that Hong Kong arrested Jimmy Lai under the draconian national security law.", "Further proof that the Chinese Communist Party has already deprived Hong Kong of its freedoms and eroded the rights of its people.
  • In a tweet, Florida Senator Rick Scott criticized the Chinese Communist Party for allegedly continuing to "silence and intimidate" those who speak out for democracy and human rights, adding that the Hong Kong national security law is a tool that directly infringes on Hong Kong's freedom and autonomy.
  • Although Lai's pro-Trump position was shared by many in the Hong Kong pro-democracy camp, as well as Apple Daily, many democracy experts in the United States believe the position was the main reason the why Hong Kong's national security law was passed, and probably was one of the factors that led to the 2021 U.S. Capitol insurrection.

    Others

  • Lead spokesperson for the external affairs of European Union Peter Stano and High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell released statements respectively, saying the latest actions were worrying.
  • United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet called for the review of the National Security Law by Hong Kong authorities.
  • Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan Yoshihide Suga express his deep concern to the arrest of Lai and Agnes Chow.
  • Committee to Protect Journalists said the arrest of Lai was a proof of the suppressed press freedom in Hong Kong.
  • World Association of Newspapers and World Editors Forum strongly protested the arrest of Jimmy Lai, worrying such could worsen the self-censorship and suppress critical news report in the city.
  • Secretary-general Christophe Deloire of Reporters Without Borders protested Hong Kong Police's decision to arrest Jimmy Lai, stating the charge of colluding foreign forces on Lai was an attempt to outlaw the symbol of press freedom, and urged the Hong Kong Government to drop all charges and immediately release the arrested.
  • International Federation of Journalists was shocked about the arrest of Jimmy Lai. IFJ said Lai should be released immediately and all charges should be dropped.

    Effects

Volatile stock

Following the news of Jimmy Lai arrested spread in the city, the stock of Next Digital was volatile as pledge to buy the stock emerged at the online forums. The stock plunged more than 15% after Lai arrested, but then surged nearly 280% in the afternoon, becoming the stock with the best performance in the day. The stock price, at peak, accumulated more than 2,000% of increase in 3 days only, but then plunged again.
Police arrested 15 people on suspicion of fraud and money-laundering on 10 September, insisting that the arrest operation only targeted the scam taking advantage of the Next Digital incident instead of the company.