Chinese Media Tycoon Jimmy Lai gets Arrested

Hong Kong media tycoon and democracy activist, Jimmy Lai was arrested early Monday according to his top aide. Lai was arrested over suspected collusion with foreign forces, breaching the new national security law. The arrest is said to be the highest-profile arrest under the legislation at the moment.

The media tycoon is one of the most influential democracy activists in the Chinese city, as well as an ardent critic of the Chinese government and Beijing since the sweeping new law on Hong Kong, was imposed on June 30.

Under the new national security law, anything that poses as opposition, subversion, collusion, secession, and even terrorism with foreign forces, against China attracted a punishable offense with up to life in prison.

According to news reports, the police invaded Lai’s home and executed a search warrant. Shortly after, over 200 police officers raided the media tycoon’s media company, Next Digital, as seen on the company’s Facebook page and a live-stream of the raid. According to the media house, the police forcefully searched through reporters’ desks and documents, asking employees to show their identification cards and ordered them to stop filming and photographing the moment.  

Many critics have spoken out against the arrest of Lai, saying it suppresses freedom in Hong Kong, while those in support say it is a commendable step towards creating stability in China after prolonged pro-democracy activities and protests in 2019.

“Jimmy Lai is being arrested for collusion with foreign powers at this time,” said Mark Simon, a senior executive at Lai’s media company, Next Digital.

Although the police force is yet to release any official statement about Lai’s arrest, the force released a statement saying the Hong Kong Police Force arrested nine people over allegations of breaching the new security law. The force did not name those that were arrested. At a news conference which some reporters were not allowed to attend, the senior superintendent of the Hong King Police Force Li Kwai-wah said the force seized 25 boxes of materials which it collected from Apple Daily reporters to continue their investigation.

The arrest was in relation to the comment of the U.S. Treasury Department over the imposed sanctions on Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, Beijing’s envoy in the city, the current police commissioner and his predecessor, as well as six other officials.

“I have expected this day would come, but I did not expect it to come at this moment, after the U.S. sanctions,” said a journalist at Apple Daily, anonymously. “These arrests are about revenge. They are targeting us, a media outlet which is the most outspoken against the Hong Kong government and Beijing.”

It was also reported that prior to this current arrest, Lai was arrested over illegal assembly charges, together with other leading democracy activists, in relation to the protest last year.

Lai told Reuters in May that he had pledged to stay in Hong Kong and continue to advocate democracy even though he suspects that he was the main target for the new law.