The Hong Kong police said that nine people were arrested on Monday under the national security law on suspicion of foreign collusion, and the operation is still underway
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th August, 2020) The Hong Kong police said that nine people were arrested on Monday under the national security law on suspicion of foreign collusion, and the operation is still underway.
Earlier in the day, the police confirmed seven arrests. Jimmy Lai, a pro-democratic media tycoon, is reportedly among those detained, along with his two sons. Moreover, the South China Morning Post said that the CEO and the chief financial officer of the mogul's Apple Daily tabloid, as well as other senior staff members, were also detained as part of the operation, and the newspaper's headquarters were raided by the police.
"As at 4PM [08:00 GMT], 9 people, aged between 23 to 72, have been arrested in suspicion of breaches of the #NSL. Offences include collusion with a foreign country/external elements to endanger national security. Operation is still ongoing," the police tweeted.
The Hong Kong police said that the officers who searched the Apple Daily's office had a relevant warrant.
China's newly-adopted law adjusts security policies in Hong Kong to Beijing's perception of crime and punishment with regard to separatism, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign countries. The critics of the law in China's special administrative region and abroad fear that it might limit Hong Kong's exclusive rights and freedoms.
