Emotions run high as HK bids farewell to pro-democracy newspaper Apple
Daily
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[June 24, 2021]
By Sharon Abratique and Pak Yiu
HONG KONG (Reuters) -Hong Kong residents
snapped up last-edition copies of the final edition of pro-democracy
newspaper Apple Daily on Thursday after it was forced to end a 26-year
run amid a national security crackdown that froze the company's funds.
Apple Daily, owned by staunch Beijing critic Jimmy Lai, who is in jail,
is an unapologetic tabloid that mixes pro-democracy discourse with
celebrity gossip and investigations of those in power. It has been a
thorn in Beijing's side for years.
Emotions ran high as supporters of the paper, which has faced an
unrelenting squeeze since tycoon Lai was arrested under the security law
in August 2020, queued for their last copies of the popular newspaper
just after midnight.
"I couldn't sleep well for the past few nights," said Tse, 60, a former
medical worker, who leaned on a cart to support herself as she queued
outside a newspaper vendor in the working class district of Mong Kok.
"I hope the reporters can stay true to their faith and keep working
hard."
Queues stretched at newsstands across the city after an emotional final
print run at the paper's headquarters.
"Thank you to all readers, subscribers, ad clients and Hong Kongers for
26 years of immense love and support," the paper said in an online
article.
"Here we say good-bye, take care of yourselves."
Some staff expressed anger and frustration at the shutdown.
"(After) today, there is no press freedom in Hong Kong ... I cannot see
any future in Hong Kong," said Dickson Ng, 51, a designer at the paper.
"I feel very disappointed and angry today. I don't understand why our
limited group, company, and the newspapers were forced to stop operating
under such circumstances."
In anticipation of robust demand for its final print run, Apple Daily
printed 1 million copies, or more than 10 times its usual print run.
The shutdown deals the most serious blow yet to Hong Kong's media
freedoms and could potentially destroy the city's reputation as an open
and free media hub after Beijing imposed the security law on the global
financial centre last year, media advocacy groups say.
Critics of the law say it is being used to crush dissent in the former
British colony, an assertion authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong
reject.
Officials in Hong Kong and China have repeatedly said media freedoms are
respected but are not absolute.
As concerns over press freedom mounted, Hong Kong cyber activists
started backing up articles by Apple Daily on censorship-proof
blockchain platforms following its closure.
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People queue to buy copies of the final edition of Apple Daily,
published by Next Digital, in the Central financial district, in
Hong Kong, China June 24, 2021. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu
'EXTREME REGRET'
Taiwan's China policy-making Mainland Affairs Council issued a
statement on Apple Daily's closure saying it felt "extreme regret
and solemnly condemned" that Hong Kong media has been unable to
operate because of "political oppression" brought about by the
national security law.
The Chinese foreign ministry said rights and freedoms could not
jeopardise national security.
"I want to emphasise, Hong Kong is a society that has rule of law.
Everyone is equal in front of the law, no one or no organisation is
above the law," a spokesperson for the ministry said. "All rights
and freedom, including media freedom, cannot go beyond the bottom
line of national security."
In Canada, Foreign Minister Marc Garneau said the forced closure of
Apple Daily was a significant blow to freedom of press and speech in
Hong Kong.
Last week, 500 officers raided the newspaper's headquarters, with
live feeds showing authorities sifting through reporters' notes and
other journalistic material in scenes that drew international
condemnation.
Five executives were arrested and two - chief editor Ryan Law, 47,
and Cheung Kim-hung, 59 - were charged with conspiracy to commit
collusion with a foreign country and denied bail. On Wednesday, a
55-year-old columnist for the paper was also arrested under the
national security law.
Authorities froze the assets of companies related to Apple Daily,
which senior executives said left it unable to operate.
Lai has emerged as one of the highest-profile targets of the new law
and is facing three national security charges, including colluding
with a foreign country.
He has been in detention since December, denied bail under the
security law and already serving several sentences for taking part
in unauthorised rallies, including during the global financial hub's
mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.
(Reporting By Sharon Abratique; Writing by Anne Marie Roantree;
Editing by Gerry Doyle)
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