Pop Star Denise Ho and Pro Democracy Journalists Arrested in Hong Kong for Sedition
Hong Kong’s National Security Police have detained six persons linked with Stand News. Among them is pop star-turned-activist Denise Ho.
“Police National Security Department conducted a search against an online media company in Kwun Tong with a warrant issued under Schedule 1 of the Implementation Rules for Article 43 of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, authorizing Police to search and seize relevant journalistic materials. Over 200 uniformed and plainclothes police officers have been deployed during the operation,” the Hong Kong government said in a news release.
The government didn’t name the publication. That’s not the case. Former publishing director Ho confirmed through Facebook that she had been detained for “conspiracy to publish seditious publications” and brought to Western District police station.
He was joined by Hong Kong Journalists Association President Ronson Chan.
The sweeping arrests came only a day after prosecutors charged publisher Jimmy Lai, six persons, and three entities connected to the defunct Apple Daily.
Between April 1 and June 24, 2019, former Next Digital CEO Cheung Kim-hung, former Apple Daily editor-in-chief Ryan Law, executives Chan Pui-man and Lam Man-chun, and writers Yeung Ching-kee and Fung Wai-kong were charged with “publishing and distributing seditious publications with the intention to bring into hatred or contempt, or excite disaffection against the [Mainland China] and Hong Kong governments, as well as the Hong Kong judiciary”. Apple Daily has been shut down and Lai incarcerated.
National Security Law took effect June 30, 2020. Authorities have claimed that it is not retroactive.
“Having the intention to raise discontent or disaffection among Hong Kong residents, incite people to violence, and counsel disobedience to law or any lawful order,” the former Apple Daily personnel are accused.
