BEIJING (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th April, 2022) Hong Kong police have arrested well-known journalist Allan Au Ka-lun on suspicion of "conspiring to publish and reproduce seditious materials," the South China Morning Post reported on Monday, citing police sources.
According to the reports, a 54-year old journalist was arrested by the police in his house Monday morning.
Allan Au Ka-lun has worked for local media, such as TVB and RTHK, and shared his political opinion in columns of various outlets and social media. Currently, he is working as a teaching consultant at Chinese University's journalism school.
For the past year, a number of independent media shut down in Hong Kong. Early January, independent online outlet CitizenNews announced terminating its operation referring to "deteriorated media environment" in Hong Kong. Last December, Stand news also halted its work after facing raids in its offices and arrests of its journalists and board members.
Last June, another pro-opposition newspaper Apple Daily, based in Hong Kong, ceased operations following a series of arrests of its top executives and police raids. The outlet was charged with collusion with foreign forces to hamper China's national security.
The closures followed the introduction by the Chinese authorities of the National Security Law in Hong Kong, which make punishable activities linked to the main four offenses of separatism, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign countries. The law entered into force on June 30, 2021.
