Hong Kong:
Hong Kong police charged two executives from the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper on Friday utilizing a strong new safety law, a day soon after the company’s newsroom was raided more than articles it had published.
Police stated a 47-year-old and a 59-year-old have been charged with “collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security”.
Apple Daily stated the two charged executives have been chief editor Ryan Law and CEO Cheung Kim-hung.
Some 500 officers descended on the paper’s newsroom on Thursday, bundling computer systems and notepads into proof bags.
Authorities stated the operation was sparked by articles that allegedly appealed for sanctions against China.
It was the 1st time articles published in Hong Kong have sparked arrests beneath the new law that cracks down on dissent in the international company and media hub.
Five Apple Daily executives have been arrested in the operation.
Police stated the remaining 3 have been nonetheless in custody and becoming questioned. The two charged executives would seem in court on Saturday morning.
Over one hundred folks have been arrested beneath the new safety law which China imposed on Hong Kong practically a year ago to stamp out dissent in the wake of substantial pro-democracy protests.
More than 60 have been charged and the vast majority have been denied bail.
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