FM slams US ‘double standards’ over Apple Daily arrests

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Friday lambasted some US politicians for applying double standards when criticizing the arrests by Hong Kong police of five people in charge of local tabloid Apple Daily under the National Security Law.

“Hong Kong is a city of rule of law and all are equal before the law. No one, nor any organizations, are beyond or above the law. That means no rights or freedoms, including press freedom, can cross the red line of national security,” Zhao said.

His remarks followed Hong Kong police’s arrest on Thursday morning of five executives of Apple Daily and its parent company, Next Digital, on suspicion of conspiring to invite foreign sanctions against the city and the nation, in dozens of articles.

On Friday afternoon, the police pressed charges against Apple Daily Editor-in-Chief Ryan Law Wai-kwong and Next Digital CEO Cheung Kimhung for the offense of collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security. Both men will be brought to West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Saturday morning.

The other three — Next Digital Chief Operating Officer Chow Tatkuen, Apple Daily Deputy Chief Editor Chan Pui-man, and Chief Executive Editor Cheung Chi-wai — were released on bail Friday night.