{"id":387265,"date":"2021-12-29T20:39:58","date_gmt":"2021-12-29T17:39:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/pro-democracy-hong-kong-website-silenced-staffers-arrested\/"},"modified":"2021-12-29T20:39:58","modified_gmt":"2021-12-29T17:39:58","slug":"pro-democracy-hong-kong-website-silenced-staffers-arrested","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/pro-democracy-hong-kong-website-silenced-staffers-arrested\/","title":{"rendered":"#Pro-democracy Hong Kong website silenced, staffers arrested"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;<strong>#Pro-democracy Hong Kong website silenced, staffers arrested<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>A pro-democracy website in Hong Kong was shut down Wednesday after police raided its offices, froze its assets and arrested staff on \u201cseditious publication\u201d charges in the latest crackdown on dissent under China\u2019s strict national security law.\u200b<\/p>\n<p>Stand <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a>, which launched operations in 2014, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/standnewshk\/\">said on its Facebook page<\/a> that all employees have been dismissed and that its website and <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social media<\/a> accounts will no longer be updated.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u200bThis morning (29th), the police arrested a number of senior and former senior staff of the company, took many people away to assist in the investigation, and seized a number of computers and some documents at the Stand News Office,\u201d the statement said. \u201cStand News has provided assistance to those involved\u200b.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The website was one of the last pro-democracy outlets in Hong Kong, which is semi-autonomous but has come under increasing pressure from China, after the <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">App<\/a>le Daily newspaper was closed in June. In that case, Apple Daily\u2019s publisher, editor and other top staffers were arrested and its assets were also frozen.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/hong-kong-editor.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Stand News acting chief editor Patrick Lam\" class=\"wp-image-20649169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/hong-kong-editor.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/hong-kong-editor.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/hong-kong-editor.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Stand News acting chief editor Patrick Lam was among the people arrested \u201cfor conspiracy to publish seditious publication,\u201d according to Hong Kong\u2019s Police National Security Department.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">REUTERS\/Tyrone Siu<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Li Kwai-wah, senior superintendent of the police National Security Department\u200b,\u200b said Stand News published news and commentary intended to incite hatred toward the government. <\/p>\n<p>He also claimed that the website\u2019s articles about how the Chinese Communist Party has amassed power in the city\u2019s court system are false. <\/p>\n<p>China passed the national security law in June 2020 to stifle criticism about the ruling Communist Party. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/stand-news.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Police officers stand guard as journalists take photos outside the building of the office of Stand News in Hong Kong\" class=\"wp-image-20649228\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/stand-news.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/stand-news.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/stand-news.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Police said about 200 officers raided Stand News\u2019 offices Wednesday.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">AP Photo\/Vincent Yu<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The draconian law criminalizes \u201csecession, subversion, organization and perpetration of terrorist activities, and collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>China passed the law following months of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong that began in 2019 over an extradition bill that would have allowed detainees in Hong Kong to be returned to mainland China for trial. The bill was later withdrawn.<\/p>\n<p>\u200bPolice\u00a0said about 200\u00a0\u200bofficers\u00a0raided Stand News\u2019 offices, taking computers and phones, as well as seizing assets worth about $7.82 million.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"655\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/hong-kong2.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"A Hong Kong national security police officer (L) and a worker carry boxes of evidence from the offices of Stand News in Hong Kong\" class=\"wp-image-20649237\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/hong-kong2.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/hong-kong2.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/hong-kong2.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>A number of computers, as well as documents, were seized from the offices.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">DANIEL SUEN\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"764\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/stand-news-announcement.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=764\" alt=\"Stand News statement\" class=\"wp-image-20649305\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/stand-news-announcement.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1528 1528w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/stand-news-announcement.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1146 1146w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/stand-news-announcement.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=764 764w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/stand-news-announcement.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=382 382w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/stand-news-announcement.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 764px) 100vw, 764px\"\/><figcaption>Stand News posted this statement to their Facebook page announcing the end of operations.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Six people were arrested and identified by Hong Kong\u2019s South China Morning Post newspaper as one current and one former editor of Stand News and four former board members, including pop singer and activist Denise Ho and former lawmaker Margaret Ng.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier Wednesday, Stand News posted a video on Facebook of police officers at the home of a deputy editor, Ronson Chan. Chan, who is also chair of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, was taken away for questioning, the organization confirmed in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>Chan, who was later released, told media the police seized his electronic devices, bank cards and press card.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are not targeting reporters, we are not targeting the media, we just targeted national security offenses,\u201d Li said\u200b at a news conference\u200b. \u201cIf you only report, I don\u2019t think this is a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u200bLi also advised the media:\u200b\u00a0\u201cDon\u2019t be biased. You know well how to report, how to be a responsible reporter, how to make a non-biased report to your readers.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/stand-news5.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Ronson Chan, Stand News deputy assignment editor, enters the Stand News office, after six people were arrested\" class=\"wp-image-20649278\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/stand-news5.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/stand-news5.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/stand-news5.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Ronson Chan, Stand News deputy assignment editor, enters the Stand News office Wednesday after the arrests were made.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">REUTERS\/Tyrone Siu<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Hong Kong Journalists Association said in a statement that it was \u201cdeeply concerned that the police have repeatedly arrested senior members of the media and searched the offices of news organizations containing large quantities of journalistic materials within a year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>With Post wires<\/em>\n                        <\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more News articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2021\/12\/29\/pro-democracy-hong-kong-website-silenced-staffers-arrested\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#Pro-democracy Hong Kong website silenced, staffers arrested&#8221; A pro-democracy website in Hong Kong was shut down Wednesday after police raided its offices, froze its assets and arrested staff on \u201cseditious publication\u201d charges in the latest crackdown on dissent under China\u2019s strict national security law.\u200b Stand News, which launched operations in 2014, said on its Facebook&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":387266,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/hong-kong-editor-comp.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[122785,4973,74106,43256,40445,1621],"class_list":["post-387265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-12-29-21","tag-china","tag-democracy","tag-hong-kong","tag-media","tag-protests"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/387265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=387265"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/387265\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/387266"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=387265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=387265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=387265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}