Hong Kong publisher charged with fraud amid crackdown

Two Next Digital executives were charged with fraud along with Lai, the South China Morning Post and Apple Daily reported. He also faces charges for joining an unauthorized vigil marking the anniversary of the June 4, 1989, crackdown on pro-democracy protests centered on Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

A pro-democracy Hong Kong media tycoon who was arrested during a crackdown on dissent was charged Wednesday with fraud but no national security offenses, two newspapers reported. Jimmy Lai of Next Digital, which owns the Apple Daily newspaper, was among 10 people arrested Aug. 10 on what police said was suspicion of violating a national security law and collusion with a foreign country.

Lai, 71, was later released on bail but police raided his company's offices in October. Two Next Digital executives were charged with fraud along with Lai, the South China Morning Post and Apple Daily reported. It said they were accused of violating lease terms for Next Digital office space in the Tseung Kwan O neighborhood.

Beijing imposed the national security law in response to protests in Hong Kong that began in June 2019 over a proposed extradition law and expanded to include demands for greater democracy in the former British colony. The law, which prompted more public protests, has led to complaints Beijing is violating the autonomy promised to Hong Kong when it was returned to China and damaging its status as a business center.

Earlier, Lai was arrested in February and again in April on charges of taking part in unauthorised protests. He also faces charges for joining an unauthorized vigil marking the anniversary of the June 4, 1989, crackdown on pro-democracy protests centered on Tiananmen Square in Beijing. As of the end of October, police had arrested 23 men and six women under the national security law, according to the South China Morning Post. Offenders face up to life in prison.

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