Newspaper faces closure for criticism of Beijing
A Hong Kong newspaper that has been the territory’s fiercest critic of Beijing is set to close within weeks after executives were arrested in a raid by security police and its assets frozen.
Despite the crackdown prompting record sales when supporters rushed out to buy 500,000 copies of Apple Daily ,up from its usual print run of 80,000, the newspaper faces closure.
The tabloid, which has operated for 26 years, said it only had the resources to keep printing for a few weeks and warned staff that wages may go unpaid. The newspaper’s editor and chief executive have been arrested under Hong Kong’s new security law, which allows officials to stifle dissenting voices.
Apple Daily plans to ask for its assets to be unfrozen today and may request a court to intervene. ‘‘The freezing of the assets not only affects payrolls, but also normal newspaper operations,’’ it said.
The publication, which has routinely reported on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, is also reviewing its stocks of ink and paper. Many believe it will close before July 1, when Hong Kong marks 24 years since the end of British rule and the Chinese Communist Party celebrates its centenary.
When asked if the Hong Kong government would shut down the newspaper by July 1 as rumoured, John Lee, the secretary for security, ducked the question but said authorities would crack down severely on acts endangering national security, according to the South China Morning Post.
Founded on June 20, 1995, Apple Daily has become a symbol of Hong Kong’s free press. However, its fate came into question last summer when Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law over the territory. Since last June, the newspaper has been raided twice by police, most recently on Thursday when 500 officers stormed the building and seized dozens of computers.
Jimmy Lai, the founder of the newspaper, has been charged with colluding with foreign forces under the security law. He is already serving 20 months in prison for organising illegal assemblies. If convicted under the security law, he could be jailed for life.
Five executives were also arrested under the security law for having published editorials and commentaries that called for sanctions against Hong Kong and mainland officials. Two of those arrested have since been charged and denied bail.
Following last week’s raid, Apple Daily said it would continue to publish and increased its print run to 500,000 copies on Friday.
‘‘It’s the worst of times for Hong Kong,’’ it said a letter to its readers as it vowed to fight on.
Its supporters responded at the news stands and many purchased multiple copies for free distribution on Sunday, on the paper’s 26th anniversary, its front page displayed four big characters that read ‘‘Support Apple’’ and readers vowed to keep buying the paper even if it printed blank pages.