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POLITIEK

Hongkong-magnaat Jimmy Lai gearresteerd

By Jordi Bou

August 10, 2020 - Jimmy Lai, Hong Kong democracy activist and media tycoon, is the most high-profile person detained to date under China’s controversial security law.

Lai’s arrest and the search of the headquarters of his Next Digital group marked the first time the law was used against news media, stoking fears that authorities are suppressing press freedom. Next Digital operates Apple Daily, a feisty pro-democracy tabloid that often condemns China's Communist Party-led government.

Apple Daily's popularity stems from its celebrity news and flamboyant stories, but it is also known for investigative reporting and breaking news coverage. It has frequently urged readers to take part in pro-democracy protests,

On July 1, it condemned the new national security law on its front page, calling it “the final nail in the coffin" for the “one country, two systems” framework under which the former British colony has been able to enjoy civil liberties not seen in mainland China after it reverted to Chinese rule in 1997.

The arrests of Lai and prominent pro-democracy activist Agnes Chow Ting came as Beijing announced sanctions on 11 Americans, including six members of Congress, in an escalating battle between the two nations over technology, security, trade and human rights.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 10/08/2020; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Getty Images
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