pro-democracy media organisations in Hong Kong, Stand News, is shutting down after it was raided by police and senior staff were arrested. Seven people, both current and former employees, were detained by Hong Kong police for “conspiracy to publish seditious publications”.
“Because of the situation, Stand News is ceasing operations immediately,” the organisation said in a Facebook post.
More than 200 police officers were sent to raid the publication’s office. Hong Kong police said in a statement they were authorised to “search and seize relevant journalistic materials”. In a post on Facebook, Stand News said it would no longer be updating its website and would be removing its social media content “within a day”.
“This morning, the police arrested a number of senior and former senior staff of the company, [and] took many people away to assist in the investigation,” the statement reads.
It adds that computers and documents were seized from its office and that it would be assisting the police with their inquiry.
Those arrested – three men and four women – are aged between 34 and 73 years old.
