This content was published on June 23, 2021 – 11:32
London, Jun 23 (EFE) .- British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab described this Wednesday the closure of the pro-democratic Hong Kong newspaper “Apple Daily” as a “chilling blow” for freedom of expression.
“It is very clear that the powers under the national security law are being used as an instrument to curtail freedoms and punish dissent, instead of maintaining public order,” Raab said in a statement released by the Foreign Ministry of London.
“The Chinese Government promised to protect the freedom of the press and freedom of expression in Hong Kong under the Sino-British declaration. It has to fulfill its promises and keep the commitments made freely,” said Raab, recalling that declaration reached. as part of the UK handover to China – in July 1997 – of its former colony.
The Hong Kong newspaper “Apple Daily”, critical of Beijing, announced today the closure of its activity just a week after the arrest of several executives for, according to the authorities, “conspiring with foreign forces”, a crime typified in the security law that China imposed on Hong Kong.
That law provides penalties of up to life imprisonment for cases such as secession, subversion, terrorism or collusion with foreign forces, and has been strongly criticized by the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement. EFE
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