The end of freedom in Hong Kong. The authorities detain the media tycoon. More technological companies are fleeing the city

Hong Kong media magnate and one of the leading opposition activists Jimmy Lai has been arrested on suspicion of conspiring with "foreign forces." This is how the authorities in Beijing are implementing the new law on national security. With it the end of democracy and freedom in Hong Kong.

On Monday morning, police unexpectedly arrested 71-year-old Jimmy Lai, a symbol of both the media market and the Hong Kong opposition. Lai has for years been one of the leading critics of Beijing's policy towards this former British colony. The Next Digital media group he founded publishes, among others the local Apple Daily.

The new law is to stop the opposition

He was detained under the new National Security Act imposed on Hong Kong by Beijing in late June. The law provides for imprisonment, even life imprisonment, for anything that Beijing deems " hostile", including conspiracy with foreign entities, attempts at secession and terrorism.

- The new regulations apply not only to all companies and institutions operating in Hong Kong, but also to foreigners and people not permanently residing in the region. They are constructed in such a way that they allow to prosecute virtually anyone for actions against China around the world - Marcin Przychodniak told us , PISM analyst for China.

Lai's arrest is one of the first detentions since July 1, the moment a new controversial law entered into force. Late last month, four members of a student-led independence group were arrested for alleged secessionist crimes on social media. Ten people were also detained during the July 1 protest.

Hitting Apple Daily

Six other men were arrested along with Li. The police have accused all of them of conspiring with foreign armed forces to endanger national security. Although the services have not officially disclosed who the detainees are, public television claims that several Apple Daily executives are among the arrested. This is a serious blow to the activities of this newspaper.

Moreover, according to Joshua Wong, a young Hong Kong opposition activist , dozens of policemen have entered the editorial office of the newspaper and are searching the entire office. Lai has strong ties to Washington and has lobbied for the United States to take a tougher stance on China.

https://twitter.com/joshuawongcf/status/1292664822434131970

Apple Daily published a video of the searches in the editorial office.

Importantly, although the retention of the owner and important managers is a strong blow for Next Digital, the company's share price did not fall. On the contrary. It has grown by 183 percent since the morning. This is the result of the uprising of the pro-democracy opposition in Hong Kong, which has begun to call for the purchase of company shares so that government actions do not bury it.

Who is Jimmy Lai ?

Lai, or more specifically Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, is a former clothing tycoon. Two years before the handover of Hong Kong from Great Britain to China, in 1995, he founded the Apple Daily in Hong Kong. Initially, a daily modeled on USA Today focused on gaining mass readers and caused a small revolution on the local media market. Firstly, it was sold very cheaply, so it led to a price war, secondly, it offered a slightly tabloid style - he devoted a lot of space to, for example, celebrity gossip. But since China took control of Hong Kong from Apple Daily, it has turned into an increasingly political side and has become famous for its harsh criticism of the Beijing government.

Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, by 海 彥, Voice of America

Lai, 71, has openly supported the pro-democracy movement and anti-government protests for years by printing leaflets and posters that people can cut out and take on marches.

This is not Lai's first encounter with the authorities. Earlier this year, he was arrested in connection with the August 2019 protest march. In June, Lai was charged with inciting people to participate in an illegal rally during the annual candlelit vigil of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. This year, the vigil was banned by police.

Hong Kong is no longer safe

With the arrest of Lai and his associates, today's Hong Kong police activity did not end. Wilson Li, a journalist working for British ITV News, was also arrested.

More companies are fleeing Hong Kong fearing the fear-provoking Committee for the Protection of National Security, an institution established by the new law. This committee is to rule on whether any actions or even statements do not violate the new law. Moreover, ISPs are expected to report such incidents to the local police.
It was these regulations that caused the suspension of cooperation with the police also by Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Google and Telegram.

- In the light of recent events, we have decided to suspend TikTok operations in Hong Kong - even announced at the beginning of July by the TikTok application, which belongs to the Chinese company ByteDance.

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The end of freedom in Hong Kong. The authorities detain the media tycoon. More technological companies are fleeing the city

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