— China has recently arrested Jimmy Lai, a pro-democracy activist and owner of Apple Daily, a Hong Kong based media publication. The arrest confirmed fears of pro-democracy activists around the recently introduced National Security Law (came into effect on June 30) being used as a tool to silence dissenters.
-Jimmy Lai, has been long known to be a critic of Beijing’s authoritarian government’s crackdown on the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests which occurred in 1989. Lai regularly mentioned about it in his publication, Apple Daily and Next Digital, and was detested by Beijing for the same.
-Lai also met with US vice president Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last year which further added to the displeasure which China had for Lai.
-Apart from Lai, his two sons and two senior executives of Next Digital have also been arrested as reported by China’s propaganda outlets, which also accused all arrested to be ‘traitors’.
-Lai’s arrest is particularly viewed as a hit to press freedom in Hong Kong. Commenting on the development, Nigel Adams at UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “Media freedom must be upheld. More evidence the National security law being used as pretext to silence opposition.”
Source: Indian Express
Global Annal 