Hong Kong police declare Apple Daily newsroom a crime scene as editors and executives arrested under national security law

Hong Kong police declared the Apple Daily newspaper office a crime scene Thursday, after 500 officers descended on the premises to arrest executives and top editors and seize journalistic materials under the city's national security law.

Apple Daily said Thursday that the company's CEO Cheung Kim Hung, COO Chow Tat Kuen and chief editor Ryan Law, along with the deputy chief editor and online editor were all arrested and accused of colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security — a provision of the sweeping legislation introduced last year that banned sedition, secession and subversion against Beijing. "This case involves a conspiracy," Hong Kong Security Secretary John Lee told reporters at a press conference Thursday, adding that the police raid was targeted at those who use journalism as a "tool to endanger national security."

Senior superintendent Steve Li, of the police's national security department, said 18 million Hong Kong dollars ($2.3 million) in assets related to the newspaper had been frozen. The assets are owned by three companies: Apple Daily, Apple Publishing & A.D. Internet Limited.

Read more