The oppression in Hong Kong has not stopped: The independent website “Stand News” was forced to announce its closure today (Wednesday), after hundreds of police officers raided offices and the newsroom in the morning and arrested six people, including senior editors, on suspicion of publishing “incitement materials”.
More than 200 police and security personnel arrived early in the morning at the site of the site, which was set up exactly seven years ago and which defined itself as “independent and committed to protecting Hong Kong’s core values, such as democracy, human rights, liberty and the rule of law.” They raided the newsroom and confiscated computers and documents.
Six people have been arrested on suspicion of violating British-era criminal law for publishing inciting substances. The detainees were the editor-in-chief, Patrick Lam, and former editor-in-chief, Chung Fui-kuan, former science section editor Cho Tat-chi, and former board members Margaret Ng, Christine Fang and pro-democracy singer and activist Deniz Ho.
A search was also conducted at the home of Ronson Chan, a senior editor at the site, but he was not arrested. A few hours earlier, Chan had hosted the Hong Kong Press Association’s annual dinner he heads. “Hong Kong will always need the truth and will always need journalists,” he said in his speech. “No matter how hard the road, the Press Association will not fall.”
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Following this, it was reported by Stand News that the site will cease its activities immediately and will no longer update its accounts on social networks, and within minutes of the announcement, it was no longer possible to enter the site. The editor-in-chief of the mother also announced his resignation and all employees of the site were fired immediately.
Hong Kong Police Commissioner John Li made it clear that the raid was intended to show that there is “zero tolerance for behavior that threatens national security.” “Using media work as a tool to advance their political goals or other interests is against the law, especially offenses that endanger national security,” he said. “These are vicious elements that infringe on freedom of the press.”
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