Hong Kong national security law: 4 former Apple Daily staff charged with conspiracy to collude with foreign forces

The former employees are associate publisher Chan Pui-man, executive editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung and editorial writers Fung Wai-kong and Yeung Ching-kee

Eight people who held senior roles at the tabloid-style newspaper have been arrested since last month, six of whom have now been charged

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Apple Daily executive editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung prepares the newspaper’s final edition last month. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 11:29am, 21 Jul 2021Updated: 1:58am, 22 Jul 2021

Four more former senior employees of the now-closed Apple Daily were charged under Hong Kong’s national security law on Wednesday night.

Police officers detained former associate publisher Chan Pui-man and ex-editorial writers Fung Wai-kong and Yeung Ching-kee when they answered bail following their arrest and release last month.

The fourth suspect was former executive editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung, who was taken into custody by officers from the force’s National Security Department after daybreak.

The four have been charged with conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security and are due to appear at West Kowloon Court on Thursday. The latest charges bring the total number being prosecuted in the case to six.

Eight people who held senior roles at the tabloid-style newspaper have been arrested since last month, while founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying was arrested under the security law last year.

The force’s national security unit raided the Apple Daily offices on June 17 and arrested five company executives.