📡Guardians of Hong Kong
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#WhiteTerror #PoliticalProsecution
Arrests, National Security Charges and Frozen Assets: Pro-Democracy #AppleDaily Might Shut Down in 5 Days

At around 15:45 on June 21, 2021 in Hong Kong, the executive board of Apple Daily came to a decision: The city's only Chinese-language pro-democracy newspaper will be shut down. The exact closing date will be announced on Friday, 25 June, 2021, which would possibly be the last operating day of the 26-year-old top selling newspaper. In other words, Saturday, 26 June could be the last time for the newspaper to appear.

The Hong Kong police raided the newspaper office with over 500 officers on June 17, 2021 and arrested 3 editors and 2 executives for "colluding with foreign powers" under #NationalSecurityLaw. Among them, editor-in-chief #RyanLaw and #NextDigital CEO #CheungKimHung were charged with breaching the national security law.

Apple Daily founder #JimmyLai has been arrested and detained since January 2021.

The Hong Kong government has been freezing the assets of Apple Daily and its connecting companies, to block the newspaper's from operating and paying salary. #MarkSimon, an adviser to Jimmy Lai, told Reuters that "vendors tried to put money into our accounts and were rejected".

According to sources, following the decision of the board on June 21, the management of Apple Daily notified all its staff of the possibility of resignation with immediate effect. The newspaper hopes to issue adequate compensation salary to its employees, but it depends whether the government will allow the company to do so. The board has issued a letter to the Security Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government regarding the matter, demanding a reply on Friday, June 25.

The management said they understand the potential risks under the current circumstances and will let their staff to make their own decision. The management thanks their staff for their contribution and professionalism in the newspaper's continuous fight for press freedom.

Source: Apple Daily; Now News; Stand News #Jun21

https://bit.ly/3xAHW3J

https://bit.ly/3qdAf0U

#PoliceState #NationalSecurityLaw #PressFreedom #HongKongMedia #Journalism #PoliticalSuppression #FrozenAsset #FreeJimmy #SaveAppleDaily #SupportAppleDaily

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Timeline:

[June 17, 2021] HK Police Raids Apple Daily Again and Arrests 3 Editors and 2 Executives

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30130

"We Will Press On": Apple Daily Prints 500,000 Copies Despite Police Raid

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30142

Hongkongers Rush to Support Apple Daily After Midnight

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30140

[June 18, 2021] HK Police Charges Apple Daily Editor-in-chief and #NextDigital CEO with #NationalSecurityLaw

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30149

[June 21, 2021]
HK’s Pro-democracy Newspaper #AppleDaily to shut within days according to #JimmyLai adviser

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30169
📡Guardians of Hong Kong pinned «#WhiteTerror #PoliticalProsecution Arrests, National Security Charges and Frozen Assets: Pro-Democracy #AppleDaily Might Shut Down in 5 Days At around 15:45 on June 21, 2021 in Hong Kong, the executive board of Apple Daily came to a decision: The city's only…»
At least 20 district councillors in Hong Kong were warned by the Home Affairs Department of the HKSAR Govrrnment for Commemorating the 1989 June 4th Tiananmen Massacre.

#June4 #DistrictCouncillor #GoHKgraphics
#FirstHand #Jun22
Voices are Disappearing in Face of "Stability and Prosperity"

On a street in Hong Kong after midnight on June 22, 2021, a piece of paper lies on the ground and reads "In Face of 'Stability and Prosperity', Voices are Disappearing".

One day ago on June 21, 2021, Hongkongers learnt of the impending closure of the city's pro-democracy newspaper #AppleDaily, after the authorities has detained and charged its editor-in-chief #RyanLaw and #NextDigital CEO #CheungKimHung under the #NationalSecurityLaw, in addition to freezing the assets of Apple Daily and three connecting companies.

The words on this paper speak the mind of many Hongkongers: Authorities allow only one voice and call this "stability and prosperity".

#BeWater #NeverGiveUp #NeverForgive #SaveAppleDaily #SupportAppleDaily

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Related News:

[21 June, 2021]
Arrests, National Security Charges and Frozen Assets: Apple Daily Might Shut Down in 5 Days

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30172
#SupportAppleDaily #NeverGiveUp
News Anchor Wishes Hongkongers Safe on the Last Night of the #AppleDaily News Broadcast

Source: Stand News; InMedia; Apple Daily #Jun21

https://bit.ly/3gRQMTU

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30177
#SupportAppleDaily #NeverGiveUp
News Anchor Wishes Hongkongers Safe on the Last Night of the #AppleDaily News Broadcast

The parent company of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, #NextDigital, held a board meeting on June 21, 2021 to decide the fate of the newspaper in the face of the Hong Kong government's suppression.

The board past the motion of sending a letter to the Secretary for Security, #JohnLee Ka-chiu to demand a reply on Friday, June 25, 2021--the company asked whether part of the Apple Daily’s funds can be unfrozen for salary payment.

According to sources, many Apple Daily’s employees expect Saturday, June 26, 2021 to be the last publishing day of Apple Daily. There is also sayings that the newsaper could be shut down as soon as on Wednesday.

As for the “21:30 Apple Daily News Broadcast”, it had its last screening on the evening of June 21. The headline inquired the whereabouts of Next Digital.

At the end of the programme, anchor #TseHingYi said that it is a hard way forward and wished everyone safe and sound.

Tse also sent a message to all media workers in Hong Kong, encouraging them to hang on and stand strong.

“Even though our platform is disappearing, Hong Kong journalists will hold onto their posts and defend the truth,” said Tse.

Watch the video here:
https://youtu.be/BsvcMNoGHqQ

Source: Stand News; InMedia; Apple Daily #Jun21

https://bit.ly/3gRQMTU

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Related News:

Arrests, National Security Charges and Frozen Assets: Apple Daily Might Shut Down in 5 Days

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30172

Voices are Disappearing in Face of "Stability and Prosperity"

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30175
#OpinionArticle #SaveAppleDaily
Former Apple Daily Staff Bids Farewell to the Newspaper

Source: Terry’s Lazy Class #Jun21

Read more
⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30179
#OpinionArticle #SaveAppleDaily
Former Apple Daily Staff Bids Farewell to the Newspaper

[Editor's note: The following was written by veteran media worker Terry Yeung, who used to work at Apple Daily and is now publishing regularly on different social media platforms. Yeung recounted his visit to the Apple Daily office after learning the news of the newspaper's forced closure on June 21, 2021]

"After receiving the news, I broke into tears during a meeting. I bought some cakes and hurried back to my 'old home'.

I left Next Digital for some time, but this place is always my alma mater.

Entering through the gate, I bumped into Ms S, who hired me seven years ago. She took me in and let a dumb kid have his first taste in the media industry.

I just took this photo with a banner that writes “Great Work, colleagues!”. It was hanged on the second floor, visible from the lobby.

Ms C of Finance News rushed over for a hug. Her eyes were all red.

Ms F and Mr. H from the same team patted me on the shoulder. The silence said all.

I visited the 'Apple Seed' team and greeted Ms I, who was burying herself in work in order to make sure every colleague is well.

Animal News reporter Ms A hugged me as soon as she saw me. We have known each other for seven years.

I ran into Manager B, a very good friend of mine. We used to go buy siu mei at the Canteen on the fifth floor together.

The cashier screamed when she spotted me. Another familar face from the canteen cried out: “Why are you coming back? Are you paying me a visiting?”

Some former colleagues were taking group photos in the lobby, while some others were still busy in meetings as usual.

If there is still Apply Daily tomorrow, there are articles to be written and printed.

This is the daily routine in Next Digital--things got to be done. It is a sad moment, but there is no time to be immersed in sadness.

Today, many people cried while hugging me. After that, they continued to write articles and work in silence.

As long as Apple Daily is still here, there are news to be published.

The office of Mr. Cheung Kim-hung is vacant.
The seat of Mr. Lai Chee-ying is empty.

The staff of the newspaper vow to work until the end, until they can report news no more.

It is my honour to have been a part of Apple Daily."

Source: Terry’s Lazy Class #Jun21

https://www.facebook.com/108102623935984/posts/529270185152557/

#PoliceState #NationalSecurityLaw #PressFreedom #HongKongMedia #Journalism #FreeJimmy #SaveAppleDaily

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Related News:

Arrests, National Security Charges and Frozen Assets: Apple Daily Might Shut Down in 5 Days

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30172

Voices are Disappearing in Face of "Stability and Prosperity"

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30175
U.S. Bans Seafood From Chinese Fishing Fleet Over Forced Labor and Crew Mistreatment

The Indonesia government last year accused a Chinese fishing company of treating Indonesian fishermen inhumanly, with labors forced to work 18 hours a day, and body of fishermen who die from illnesses are casted overboard into the Pacific Ocean. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced on Friday that it will impose an import ban to the company's seafood, alleging that its fleet of 32 vessels was involved in forced labor, the first time the U.S. imposed such a ban on an entire fleet of vessels.

The Customs and Border Protection said it will immediately detain tuna, swordfish and other products from Dalian Ocean Fishing Co Ltd. The "withhold release order" also ban other end-use products containing seafood from the company, such as canned tuna and pet food.

Source: Stand News #Jun17

https://bit.ly/3zGvMbl

#ForcedLabor #CustomsAndBorderProtection #US #China #Indonesia #DalianOceanFishing
Red lines must be drawn more clearly to reaffirm press freedom in Hong Kong

Life in Hong Kong under the Beijing-imposed National Security Law is not quite a year old. But it has reached a watershed with the national security raids on Apple Daily’s office and the arrests of its executives. The most frequently cited cornerstone of Hong Kong’s success is “the rule of law”.

Another value often coupled with it is “a free flow of information”. So fundamental is this to the city’s way of life that it is safeguarded in the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, with guarantees of freedom of speech, of the press and of publication.

Source: SCMP #Jun19

https://t.co/iIbjJs7KSp

#RedLine #Beijing #NationalSecurityLaw #Press #Freedom #HongKong
#FirstHand #Jun21
Two courageous young men call for HongKongers to fight for truth and democracy amidst "National Security threat"

It has been the 23th month since the #YuenLong721Attack took place on July 21, 2019, when Hong Kong Police turned a blind eye to hundreds of pro-democracy protesters being brutally assaulted by white-clad mobsters on their way home in Yuen Long MTR station.

This day, only two brave young men were seen at the station, calling on HongKongers to hold on to the truth of the attack. They also urged public attention for those pro-democracy legislators and councilors being arrested under the National Security Law, including #NgWaiKin, a district councilor in Yuen Long.

In front of these two peaceful young men was a disproportionally large team of police officers, watching closely on their every action.

#PoliceState #HongKongProtests #721YuenLong
#SaveAppleDaily #PressFreedom
The Countdown of HK's Pro-democracy Newspaper: #AppleDaily Stops its English and Finance News

At 11am on June 22, 2021, Apple Daily announced the suspension of its English news.

On the homepage, the newspaper published an article titled "Dear Readers". The newspaper writes:

"This concludes the updates of Apple Daily English. Thank you for your support."

The newspaper has also stopped updating its finance news online after midnight and aired the last episode of the 21:30 news report on June 21.

The 26-year-old top selling pro-democracy newspaper is closing down, after the Hong Kong government made it impossible for the newspaper to operate by freezing its assets, arresting its editors and executives and charging them with #NationalSecurityLaw.

Source: Stand News #Jun22
https://bit.ly/3djUNQj

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Related News:

News Anchor Wishes Hongkongers Safe
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30177

Former Staff Bids Farewell to the Newspaper
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30179
#PoliceState #Journalism
#AppleDaily Journalists Confused by Hidden Message Reportedly Sent From the Hong Kong Police with a Book About WWII Spies

Source: Hong Kong Citizen News #Jun17

Read more
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https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30190
#PoliceState #Journalism
#AppleDaily Journalists Confused by Hidden Message Reportedly Sent From the Hong Kong Police with a Book About WWII Spies

On June 17, 2021, the Hong Konv police raided the pro-democracy newspaper #AppleDaily and arrested 3 editors and 2 exeuctives on the charge of #NationalSecurityLaw.

The police stayed in the Next Digital Ltd. building for at least 5 hours and the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force seized a large sum of items, including at least 38 computers that contain news materials.

A reporter recounted that, when he realised the building was being searched at 8 a.m., he took his laptop and worked in another area.

After the building was reopened in the afternoon, some reporters returned to their seats and found their desks in a mess: The police took away both their company’s computers and their hard disks.

Some of them even noticed a book that was originally shelved being placed in a prominent position on the table, after the police raid.

The book is called "Hong Kong Newspaper Company and Spies in the Occupational Period" and is written by Apple Daily’s former editor-in-chief Cheng Ming-yun.

Some journalists questioned whether the police was trying to send a message and criticize them in an obscured way.

However, it remains uncertain whether the police fully understood the content of the book. The book actually “studies how some Hong Kong newspapers appeared to be cooperative toward the authorities, while indirectly resisting the Japanese occupation during the Second World War.

Source: Hong Kong Citizen News #Jun17

https://youtu.be/iFAbXpZyxVc

#AsiasFinest #SaveAppleDaily #SupportAppleDaily

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Related News:

Arrests, National Security Charges and Frozen Assets: Apple Daily Might Shut Down in 5 Days

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30172

News Anchor Wishes Hongkongers Safe

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30177

Former Staff Bids Farewell to the Newspaper

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30179
#FirstHand #Jun21
HK Police Arrests Man for Hanging Pro-democracy Banner on Clothes-Drying Rack

A pro-democracy protest banner that read “Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of our Times” was seen hanging outside a residential building on Fife Street in Mong Kok, Hong Kong on June 21, 2021.

The police arrested a 40-year-old man on suspicion of publishing sedition texts.

At around 17:30 in the afternoon, approximately 20 police officers went up to the flat and took the banner away. Four officers stationed at the entrance of the building while others escorted residents to go up to their home.

Plain clothed officers were also seen at the scene taking videos.

Photo: First Hand
Text: Stand News, #Jun21
https://www.thestandnews.com/politics/%E6%97%BA%E8%A7%92%E5%94%90%E6%A8%93%E5%A4%96%E6%8E%9B-%E5%85%89%E6%99%82-%E6%97%97-40-%E6%AD%B2%E7%94%B7%E8%A2%AB%E6%8C%87%E7%99%BC%E8%A1%A8%E7%85%BD%E5%8B%95%E6%96%87%E5%AD%97%E8%A2%AB%E6%8D%95/

#PoliceState #ProtestBanner #Arrest #Sedition