HONG KONG, (Reuters) – Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai became the highest-profile arrest under a new national security law yesterday, detained over suspected collusion with foreign forces as scores of police searched the offices of his Apple Daily newspaper.
Lai, 71, has been one of the most prominent democracy activists in the Chinese-ruled city and an ardent critic of Beijing, which imposed the sweeping new law on Hong Kong on June 30, drawing condemnation from Western countries.
His arrest comes amid Beijing’s crackdown against pro-democracy opposition in the city and further stokes concerns about media and other freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to China in 1997.
It “bears out the worst fears that Hong Kong’s National Security Law would be used to suppress critical pro-democracy opinion and restrict press freedom,” said Steven Butler, the Committee to Protect Journalists’ Asia programme coordinator. “Jimmy Lai should be released at once and any charges dropped.”
The new security law punishes anything China considers subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison.
Critics say it crushes freedoms, while supporters say it will bring stability after prolonged pro-democracy protests last year.
Lai had been a frequent visitor to Washington, where he has met senior officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, to rally support for Hong Kong democracy, prompting Beijing to label him a “traitor”.
Hong Kong police said they had arrested seven people on suspicion of breaching the city’s new national security law, citing offences including collusion with foreign powers. They were all local men, aged 39-72, it said, without naming them.
Police said further arrests were possible.
Apple Daily, which posted on its Facebook page a livestream of dozens of police officers entering its premises and taking the details of those who worked there, reported Lai was taken away from his home in Ho Man Tin early on Monday. The paper said one of Lai’s sons, Ian, was also arrested at his home.
In the live feed, police could be seen taking Lai into the office in handcuffs. Police said they had a court warrant. The law allows police to search premises without one “under exceptional circumstances,” and also allows authorities to seize documents, equipment and financial assets.
An Apple Daily source said that other senior executives in the company were among those targeted and that police were searching their homes.
“We are arranging lawyers and so on to defend ourselves. We see this as straight harassment,” the source said, adding that Lai was arrested on suspicion of sedition, criminal fraud and colluding with foreign forces.
Shares of media company Next Digital, which publishes Apple Daily, plunged as much as 15.5%.
Prominent young activist Joshua Wong said on Twitter he “strongly” condemned Lai’s arrest.
The law has steered China further on a collision course with the West, prompting countries including Australia, Canada and Britain to suspend extradition treaties with Hong Kong.
On major cases in Hong Kong, the central government in Beijing can claim jurisdiction. The legislation allows agents to take suspects across the border for trials in Communist Party-controlled courts, one issue that has raised alarm at home and overseas.