Hong Kong security law: police arrest protest press boss Jimmy Lai

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3 min

Jimmy Lai is one of the main figures of the pro-democracy movement. He was arrested on Monday August 10 under the new national security law, announced a relative and a police source. Shortly after, dozens of Hong Kong police officers carried out a search of the premises of his Apple Daily, openly critical of Beijing.

Publicity

“  They arrested him at his home at around 7 am local time [midnight UT]. Our lawyers are on their way to the police station,  ”Mark Simon told AFP. According to this close collaborator of Jimmy Lai , other members of his press group were also arrested. This is a new step in the muscular takeover of the former British colony by Beijing.

Shortly before, Mark Simon had announced on Twitter that the arrest of the wealthy septuagenarian was underway and that police were carrying out searches at his home and that of his son: "  Jimmy Lai is being arrested at the moment for collusion with foreign powers . "

Jimmy Lai is being arrested for collusion with foreign powers at this time.

In a statement, police said seven arrests on suspicion of collusion with foreign forces - one of the offenses covered by the National Security Law which was imposed in late June by Beijing - and fraud.

Hero in Hong Kong, traitor for Beijing

Jimmy Lai, 72, is the owner of two publications openly pro-democracy and critical of Beijing, Next Magazine and the Apple Daily, dozens of police officers carried out a search shortly after his arrest. Reporters from the newspaper filmed and broadcast live on their Facebook pages the police raiding their newsroom, located in a building in an industrial district on the outskirts of Hong Kong.

For many Hong Kongers, Jimmy Lai is a hero, a combative press owner, and the only tycoon in the semi-autonomous territory who dares to criticize Beijing.

But in the official Chinese media he is denounced as a "  traitor  ", an inspirer of the huge pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong and the head of a group of personalities accused of conspiring with foreign nations to harm China.

"  Ready to go to jail  "

In mid-June, two weeks before the new national security law was imposed, Jimmy Lai told AFP he expected to be arrested . "  I'm ready to go to jail ," he said. If this happens, I will have the opportunity to read books that I haven't read yet. The only thing I can do is be positive  ”.

He then described the new law as "the death knell for Hong Kong". According to him, “  it will replace our legal regime and destroy our international financial status  ”.

► To read also: Jimmy Lai: "The national security law signs the death sentence of Hong Kong"

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• Hong Kong
• China
• Human rights
• Freedom of press

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