Hong Kong Media Tycoon Jimmy Lai Arrested Under National Security Law

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Hong Kong police arrested media tycoon and prominent democracy activist Jimmy Lai under a national security law passed in late June for allegedly colluding with foreign forces, local media reported.

The arrest was reported by Apple Daily, the flagship newspaper under Lai’s media network Next Digital Ltd., as well as TVB. Seven people were arrested in total, including Lai’s two sons and other top members of Next Digital, Oriental Daily reported, citing unidentified people.

“The lawyers are on the way to the police station now,” Next Digital Group Director Mark Simon said in an email, following an earlier tweet that Lai had been arrested. Calls and emails placed to the Hong Kong Police went unanswered.

China has called the security legislation, which bars subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, a “sword of Damocles” hanging over the heads of its most outspoken critics. It has prompted fears among activists and foreign governments that it will be used to silence basic freedoms in the city.

Lai’s media group and Apple Daily backed the protests for meaningful elections that rocked the city last year, but it’s been years since he was seen as playing a central role in Hong Kong’s democracy movement. Lai had earlier been arrested in February on suspicion of participating in an unlawful assembly in 2019 and intimidating a reporter two years before that, and was granted police bail.

The U.S. has led foreign governments in expressing concern over the law, saying Hong Kong could no longer be considered sufficiently autonomous from the mainland. It has revoked some special trading privileges, which help underpin the city’s reputation as an international business hub, and sanctioned Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam as well as other officials last week.

Lam has defended the national security law and called it the “most important” development in relations between Hong Kong and Beijing since the city’s handover to Chinese rule in 1997.

Arrest Condemned

Hong Kong made its first arrests under the law — of a handful of protesters — the day after it was handed down.

Authorities also used the security law to arrest four young people for comments made online about Hong Kong independence while issuing arrest warrants for six overseas activists. They included Nathan Law, who fled Hong Kong as the law was being enacted, and Samuel Chu, who runs a Hong Kong advocacy group in the U.S.

Joshua Wong, one of the city’s most prominent activists, said on Twitter that he strongly condemns Lai’s arrest.

–With assistance from Kari Lindberg.

Lai’s media group and Apple Daily backed the protests for meaningful elections that rocked the city last year