Hong Kong (AFP)

The pro-democracy Apple Daily in Hong Kong told readers on Monday that its board of directors will vote on a possible closure of the newspaper on June 25, after its assets were frozen under a security law. national.

For years, Apple Daily has displayed unwavering support for the pro-democracy movement and has never failed to sharply criticize the Chinese leadership.

Its owner, press mogul Jimmy Lai, 73, is currently in custody, sentenced to multiple prison terms for his involvement in pro-democracy protests in 2019.

He is also indicted under the draconian national security law, imposed last year by Beijing, with offenses punishable by life imprisonment.

Two officials of the daily, headline editor Ryan Law and chief executive Cheung Kim-hung were indicted on Friday in the name of the law.

The members of the board of directors still at liberty met on Monday to discuss the future of everyday life.

"The board ... decided to meet on Friday to determine whether to end Apple Daily," the daily said in a notification sent to its readers.

Hong Kong media, Now TV and Oriental Daily, Hong Kong media, have claimed, citing sources, that the day of the newspaper's latest publication will be announced at the next meeting to be held on Friday.

# photo1

- Inability to pay -

The closure of the daily would mean the end of one of the few Hong Kong newspapers that is very critical of Beijing.

For the authorities, who have never hidden their desire to silence this media, this would be a huge victory.

In an interview with CNN, Mark Simon, an adviser to Mr. Lai living abroad, said Monday morning that the newspaper's asset freeze was preventing it from continuing to operate.

"Our problem is not that we don't have funds, we have 50 million dollars (42 million euros) in the bank," he explained.

"Our problem is that the Minister in charge of Security and the police do not let us pay our journalists (...) our staff (...) and our salespeople. They blocked our accounts".

This measure was ordered last week, a few hours after a search of the newspaper's editorial staff and the arrest of five of its leaders.

On June 17, more than 500 police officers raided the premises of the daily.

# photo2

They arrested five of its leaders over a series of articles which police said called for international sanctions.

A Hong Kong court on Saturday refused the release on bail of two of them.

It is the first time that political opinions published by a Hong Kong news outlet have led to prosecution under the controversial law imposed by China in 2020 in an attempt to quell dissent in the former British colony. .

- "A very serious crime" -

The National Security Law allows the Hong Kong authorities to freeze the assets of an individual or any company that could threaten national security.

In mid-May, Mr. Lai's assets, including his media stakes, were frozen in the name of the National Security Law.

Hong Kong Security Minister John Lee said on June 17 that 18 million Hong Kong dollars (2 million euros) in assets held by Apple Daily had been frozen.

"We are facing a security agency, we are not facing courts," said Simon on CNN.

He himself is wanted by the city police for breaking the national security law.

However, he fled the city last year and has lived in the United States ever since.

# photo3

Apple Daily has indicated that it wants to ask Mr. Lee to release some of the money frozen in the accounts so that it can pay the salaries of its 700 employees.

In case of refusal, the newspaper intends to take legal action.

The Hong Kong security ministry declined to say whether it has been contacted by Apple Daily, citing ongoing legal proceedings.

"Endangering national security is a very serious crime," however, one of his spokespersons told AFP.

"We are dealing with these crimes according to the law, targeting illegal acts, and we invoke the power to freeze the assets related to the offense according to need and the law."

© 2021 AFP