• Advertise
  • Opinion
  • Features & Interviews
  • Investigation
  • Contact
Monday, March 1, 2021
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Lagos Today
  • Home
  • News
    • Lagos News
    • National News
    • World News
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Art & Design
    • Books
    • Movie
    • Sports
    Lady Gaga’s dogs found safe after armed robbery

    Lady Gaga’s dogs found safe after armed robbery

    Lady Gaga offers $500,000 reward after dog walker shot and pets stolen

    Lady Gaga offers $500,000 reward after dog walker shot and pets stolen

    Tiger Woods suffers ‘multiple leg injuries’ in car crash near Los Angeles

    Tiger Woods suffers ‘multiple leg injuries’ in car crash near Los Angeles

    Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman Retains UFC Title For Third Time

    Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman Retains UFC Title For Third Time

    Tokyo 2020 Olympics president announces resignation following sexist remarks

    Tokyo 2020 Olympics president announces resignation following sexist remarks

    Afrobeat star Fela Kuti joins Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, others on nominees list for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

    Afrobeat star Fela Kuti joins Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, others on nominees list for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

    DJ Cuppy’s Lawyers Ask Davido’s Aide to Apologise Over Alleged Libellous Statements

    DJ Cuppy’s Lawyers Ask Davido’s Aide to Apologise Over Alleged Libellous Statements

    Nigerian Athlete, Okagbare, Debuts in Guinness Book of Records

    Nigerian Athlete, Okagbare, Debuts in Guinness Book of Records

    Court Remands Former DMW Singer, Lilfrosh, in Lagos’ Ikoyi Prison For Allegedly Assaulting Girlfriend

    Court Remands Former DMW Singer, Lilfrosh, in Lagos’ Ikoyi Prison For Allegedly Assaulting Girlfriend

  • Food
  • Features & Interviews
  • Opinion
  • Investigations
  • Sports
  • Travel
  • Home
  • News
    • Lagos News
    • National News
    • World News
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Art & Design
    • Books
    • Movie
    • Sports
    Lady Gaga’s dogs found safe after armed robbery

    Lady Gaga’s dogs found safe after armed robbery

    Lady Gaga offers $500,000 reward after dog walker shot and pets stolen

    Lady Gaga offers $500,000 reward after dog walker shot and pets stolen

    Tiger Woods suffers ‘multiple leg injuries’ in car crash near Los Angeles

    Tiger Woods suffers ‘multiple leg injuries’ in car crash near Los Angeles

    Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman Retains UFC Title For Third Time

    Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman Retains UFC Title For Third Time

    Tokyo 2020 Olympics president announces resignation following sexist remarks

    Tokyo 2020 Olympics president announces resignation following sexist remarks

    Afrobeat star Fela Kuti joins Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, others on nominees list for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

    Afrobeat star Fela Kuti joins Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, others on nominees list for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

    DJ Cuppy’s Lawyers Ask Davido’s Aide to Apologise Over Alleged Libellous Statements

    DJ Cuppy’s Lawyers Ask Davido’s Aide to Apologise Over Alleged Libellous Statements

    Nigerian Athlete, Okagbare, Debuts in Guinness Book of Records

    Nigerian Athlete, Okagbare, Debuts in Guinness Book of Records

    Court Remands Former DMW Singer, Lilfrosh, in Lagos’ Ikoyi Prison For Allegedly Assaulting Girlfriend

    Court Remands Former DMW Singer, Lilfrosh, in Lagos’ Ikoyi Prison For Allegedly Assaulting Girlfriend

  • Food
  • Features & Interviews
  • Opinion
  • Investigations
  • Sports
  • Travel
No Result
View All Result
The Lagos Today
No Result
View All Result
Home World News

Jimmy Lai: Hong Kong media tycoon arrested under security law

by The Lagos Today
August 10, 2020
in World News
6 min read
0
0
Jimmy Lai: Hong Kong media tycoon arrested under security law
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Hong Kong business tycoon Jimmy Lai has been arrested and his newspaper offices raided by police over allegations of collusion with foreign forces.

His case is the most high-profile arrest so far under the controversial security law imposed by China in June.

Mr Lai has been a prominent pro-democracy voice and a supporter of protests that erupted last year.

In February the 71-year-old, who also holds UK citizenship, was charged with illegal assembly and intimidation.

He was granted police bail.

Chinese state media Global Times on Monday described Mr Lai as “riot supporter” and his publications as having been “instigating hatred, spreading rumours and smearing Hong Kong authorities and the mainland for years”.

The Global Times also reported that two of his sons as well as two senior executives of Next Digital had also been arrested.

Scores of police were also seen entering the building of his newspaper Apple Daily, searching the offices.

At one point Mr Lai was led through the offices in handcuffs.

Police confirmed on Facebook that seven men aged 39-72 had been arrested on “suspicion of collusion with foreign forces” and other offences, but did not name Mr Lai.

line

Uncertain future for media network

The sight of nearly 200 police officers raiding the newsroom of Apple Daily, the biggest pro-democracy newspaper in Hong Kong, is a shocking one for many here and a sign that things are changing rapidly.

One Apple Daily employee told me that his colleagues were calm and had seen this coming when the National Security Law was passed.

Mr Lai has been a very vocal critic of both the Hong Kong government and of Beijing’s increasingly assertive presence in the territory.

For that, China’s official news media have often branded him the leader of the “Gang of Four” which incites unrest in the city. Beijing was also infuriated when he met US Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last year.

But while Next Media has often been criticised for its sensationalism, it remains one of the very few media outlets with an owner who has no business interest in mainland China.

The newspaper, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, is already under financial strain. The paper has said it will get today’s issue out on time but if its flamboyant owner is silenced it is unclear whether it will survive.

line

Who is Jimmy Lai?

The businessman is estimated to be worth more than $1bn (£766m).

Having made his initial fortune in the clothing industry, he later ventured into media and founded the newspaper Apple Daily, which is frequently critical of Hong Kong and mainland Chinese leadership.

In 2019 the daily was the most-read paid newspaper in the territory, both in print and online, according to the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Mr Lai has also been an activist against Beijing’s increasingly tight grip on Hong Kong. In 2019 he supported the reform protests and participated in the demonstrations.

Jimmy Lai: China’s security law ‘spells the death knell for Hong Kong’

On 30 June, when the security law was passed, Mr Lai told the BBC that this “spells the death knell for Hong Kong”.

He warned that Hong Kong would become as corrupt as mainland China because “without the rule of law, people who do business here will have no protection”.

In a separate interview with the AFP news agency, Mr Lai said: “I’m prepared for prison. If it comes, I will have the opportunity to read books I haven’t read. The only thing I can do is to be positive.”

What has the reaction been?

Unnamed sources within Apple Daily are cited as saying the company was “arranging lawyers”, seeing the situation as “straight harassment”.

Police outside of Next Digital
Hong Kong police have raided the building of Next Digital and Apple Daily

Steven Butler, Asia programme co-ordinator of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said the arrest “bears out the worst fears that Hong Kong’s national security law would be used to suppress critical pro-democracy opinion and restrict press freedom”.

“Jimmy Lai should be released at once and any charges dropped,” he said.

Prominent pro-democracy activist Nathan Law tweeted that the “worst fears” were being realised.

“Crazy arrests,” he said. “The end of freedom of press in Hong Kong. The national security law is quashing the freedom of our society, spreading politics of fear.”

Wang Dan, dissident and exiled student leader of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, said on social media that the arrest “was expected” but “very outrageous because his two sons were also arrested, which was obviously an attempt by the authorities to destroy Lai’s will through family ties”.

“I call on the international community to take immediate action.”

What is the new security law?

Hong Kong has had a high degree of autonomy since it was returned to Chinese rule in 1997, and its residents have had a far higher level of freedom of speech and media than people on the mainland.

But the law’s key provisions include that crimes of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces are punishable by a maximum sentence of life in prison.

It makes it easier to punish protesters, and reduces Hong Kong’s autonomy.

Chinese flag desecrated in Hong Kong
In 2019, there were waves of anti-Beijing protests in Hong Kong

The law also gives Beijing powers to shape life in the former British colony in a way it has never had before.

Critics say it effectively curtails protest and freedom of speech. China has said the new law will return stability to the territory after a year of unrest.

Arrests and exiles

There have been two previous waves of arrests since the law was passed by Beijing on 30 June.

The first one saw several protesters arrested the next day, as they staged a demonstration.

On 30 July, four students and former pro-independence activists were arrested under the law.

Other activists, like Mr Law, fled the city before the security law came into force.

Mr Law is currently in the UK but media reports are suggesting that Chinese authorities are seeking the arrest of him and other activists in exile.

BBC NEWS

Follow us on social media
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Like this:

Like Loading...
Tags: Hong KongHong kong national security law
Previous Post

Thousands of people protest after Lukashenko landslide win in Belarus election

Next Post

Experts Call For Affordable Insurance Schemes In Lagos

The Lagos Today

The Lagos Today

Related Posts

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy sentenced to jail in historic ruling

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy sentenced to jail in historic ruling

by The Lagos Today
March 1, 2021
0

A French court on Monday sentenced former President Nicolas Sarkozy to three years in prison for corruption and influence peddling,...

How long should movies be in theaters before streaming? Hollywood is trying to find out

How long should movies be in theaters before streaming? Hollywood is trying to find out

by The Lagos Today
March 1, 2021
0

With the movie business upended during the pandemic and tilting more towards streaming than cineplexes, Hollywood is rethinking its business model. One significant debate...

Next Post
Experts Call For Affordable Insurance Schemes In Lagos

Experts Call For Affordable Insurance Schemes In Lagos

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Prof. Akin Abayomi Lauds Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy

Prof. Akin Abayomi Lauds Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy

6 months ago
Buhari Promises Okonjo-Iweala Support in Emerging WTO DG

Buhari Promises Okonjo-Iweala Support in Emerging WTO DG

5 months ago

Popular News

    Newsletter

    Connect with us

    Tags

    #EndSARS #EndSARS Protests ACCIDENT CBN Child abuse China coronavirus Coronavirus pandemic Covid-19 Covid-19 in Lagos Covid-19 in Nigeria Covid-19 Vaccine Covid-19 Worldwide CP Hakeem Odumosu Donald Trump EFCC Federal Government Fraud Gov. Sanwo-Olu Hakeem Odumosu Ikorodu India Joe Biden Lagos police Lagos Police command Lagos State Government Lagos State House of Assembly Lagos State Police command LASEMA LASTMA Latest jobs in lagos Lekki Tollgate Shooting Muhammadu Buhari Murder NCDC Nigeria Rape Russia SARS Sexual Abuse Third mainland Bridge UK Unilag US WHO

    News

    • Business
    • National
    • Politics
    • Tech

    Opinion

    • Editorials
    • Today’s Opinion
    • Letters
    • Sunday Review
    • Advertise
    • Opinion
    • Features & Interviews
    • Investigation
    • Contact

    © 2020 The Lagos Today - Nkali.

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • Lagos News
    • Business
    • National News
    • Entertainment
    • Feature & Interviews
    • Food
    • Health
      • National News
    • Sports
    • Travel
    • Opinion
    • World News
    • Investigation

    © 2020 The Lagos Today - Nkali.

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password?

    Create New Account!

    Fill the forms bellow to register

    All fields are required. Log In

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In
    %d bloggers like this: