Apple Daily raids: China's crackdown on Hong Kong's 'last pro-democracy' paper explained

Apple Daily, founded in 1995 and now being called the ‘last pro-democracy’ paper in Hong Kong, witnessed a major setback on June 17 when more than 500 police officers raided its newsroom and arrested five executives. The latest clampdown by pro-Beijing authorities in Hong Kong has caused a stir across the globe that Apple Daily is one of the significant news outlets that emerged as a major pro-democracy paper with rigorously calling out China’s heavy-handed responses and a clampdown on Hong Kong’s autonomy. While the paper has been around in the former British colony for 26 years, but Thursday’s crackdown resulted in the arrest of five along with 44 news material hard disks seized.

Why was Apply Daily’s office raided?

The reason for raids and arrest was cited by Hong Kong’s security chief John Lee accused the executives who were arrested on Thursday of using “journalistic work as a tool to endanger national security” and issued a chilling warning to residents and other media. “Normal journalists are different from these people,” Lee said. “Please keep a distance from them.” 

The police force’s national security department reportedly said that the five were detained on the suspicion of collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to threaten the national security through the articles which police said called for additional sanctions to be imposed on Hong Kong and mainland China. As per reports, all executives were arrested from their homes around 7 AM (local time) on June 17.

As per the Guardian report, the Law police searched Apple Daily’s newsroom and its offices saying the warrant covered “the power of searching and seizure of journalistic materials”. “The operation, still ongoing, aims at gathering evidence for a case of suspected contravention of the national security law,” it said. Those who are arrested include Apple Daily’s editor-in-chief, Ryan Law, the chief executive officer, Cheung Kim-hung, the chief operating officer, Chow Tat-kuen, the deputy chief editor, Chan Puiman, and the chief executive editor, Cheung Chi-wai.

Further, the Hong Kong law enforcement also froze HK$18m (US $2.3m) in assets of three companies, Apple Daily Limited, Apple Daily Printing Limited and AD Internet Limited. Reportedly, Parent company, Next Digital even announced the suspension of trading in its shares before markets opened on Thursday. 

Apple Daily newsroom. (Credits: AP)

How did Apple Daily become prominent?

Apple Daily was founded more than two decades ago by media tycoon Jimmy Lai, who has been in jail since last year on charges related to the 2019 protests and allegations by the government of national security offences. Months later, officers leading the controversial National Security Law in Hong Kong raided the Apple Daily office, the entire scene was live-streamed by the media outlet. 

Lai was not involved in the political landscape of Hong Kong until the unprecedented turn of events of June 4, 1989, when he along with several other Hong Kongers watched petrified as Chian sent tanks and troops to crush the pro-democratic demonstrators in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. 

In the years that followed, Lai became more outspoken with the criticism against China and often using blue language. Soon, his clothing brand Giordano faced trouble with mainland authorities. Apple Daily emerged at the same same time when Hong Kong return from Britain to China in 1997. At the time when Hong Kongers were sceptical about the city’s freedom, Apple Daily became the voice of the city supporting democracy.

Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai pauses next to a copy of Apple Daily's July 1, 2020, edition during an interview Hong Kong Wednesday, July 1, 2020. (Credits: AP)

How did paper respond to raid and arrests?

With the front page reading “We must press on,” Hong Kong’s pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily on June 18 responded to over 500 police officers raiding its newsroom and arresting five executives including chief editor Ryan Law and CEO Cheung Kim-hung. 

As a protest, and showcasing resilience, the reporters of the Hong Kong daily spent the entire Thursday night (local time) in the newsrooms to work on a ‘defiant’ edition with the main story reading, “National security police searched Apple, arrested five people, seized 44 news material hard disks.” For their Friday story, the reporters reportedly circled media personnel across the city and interviewed them regarding the severe clampdown on freedom of the press. Apple Daily decided to publish 500,000 copies instead of their daily circulation of 80,000. 

Further, The homepage of the official website of the newspaper read, “Hong Kong people rushed to buy in the morning, saying "We will let it go together", and the call for printing continues” published hours after the raid. The tone of the article implied that despite the crackdown of the police and the authorities confiscating 44 computer hosts and news materials, “The publication of "Apple" was not affected” before adding that it has printed 500,000 copies on Friday.

People buy Apple Daily at a downtown street in Hong Kong Friday, June 18, 2021. (Credits: AP)

What is National Security Law?

Marking the most significant change in the former British colony’s freedom since it came under Chinese rule in 1997, China last year passed the controversial national security law on Hong Kong. According to the critics of the law, its advancement on the former British colony by the Asian superpower threatens the autonomous nature of the city. Irrespective of the constant criticism and world leaders raising concerns over the newly-passed law threatening the autonomous nature of the former British colony, China went ahead with the legislation.

As expected by critics, the national security law has been used by the pro-Beijing government of Hong Kong to enhance its clampdown on the city. Under the law, media reports stated, administrative bodies in the city ranging from finance to immigration will be directly answerable to the central government in China.

The Chinese media also reported that the controversial legislation is aimed to tackle separatist activity, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with the forces of the foreign countries. Previously, Beijing has also said that the legislation would be a “sword” hanging over the heads of those who pose a threat to the security of the nation. 

IMAGE: AP