Asia - Pacific

Apple Daily editorial writer arrested at Hong Kong airport

Fung Wai-kong, 57, latest among several journalists apprehended for working with recently closed pro-democracy newspaper

Riyaz Ul Khaliq  | 28.06.2021 - Update : 28.06.2021
Apple Daily editorial writer arrested at Hong Kong airport

ANKARA

An editorial writer associated with Hong Kong’s recently closed Apple Daily has been arrested, local media reported on Monday.

Fung Wai-kong, 57, was stopped by police at the airport on Sunday night while he was believed to be leaving for the UK, according to the daily South China Morning Post.

He is under investigation for “collusion with foreign forces,” according to the report.

The pro-democracy newspaper shut down last week amid intense government harassment, with several of its executives recently arrested and assets frozen under Hong Kong’s controversial national security law.

Five Apple Daily executives were arrested last Thursday on similar charges of “foreign collusion.”

The newspaper was owned by media tycoon Jimmy Lai, who has been jailed since last year on multiple charges under the national security law.

At least 144 persons have been arrested since China imposed the law in the semi-autonomous region last July.

Meanwhile, another Hong Kong-based media outlet portal, Stand News, has also announced that it will “remove most of its commentaries and halt fundraising drive.”

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