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                    What happened to Apple Daily?



                                                  2020       30 June
                                                             The Hong Kong national security law (NSL) was passed
                                                             by the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress
                                                             and came into effect at night.

                                                             10 August
                                                             Founder of Next Digital Limited (publisher of Apple
                                                             Daily), Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, was arrested on suspicion
                                                             of “colluding with a foreign country or with external
                                                             elements to endanger national security”. He was charged
                                                             on December 11, 2020.
                                                  2021       17 June
                                                             About 500 police officers raided the Apple Daily head-
        Five Apple Daily executives were arrested under NSL,   quarters.
        including former CEO of Next Digital Chung Kim-hung,
        former COO Royston Chow Tat-kuen, former editor-in-  Apple Daily assets with a total value of HK$18 million
        chief Ryan Law Wai-kwong, former associate publisher   frozen under national security law.
        Chan Pui-man, and former digital platform director Nick   Former Apple Daily journalist Ryan Law Wai-kwong,
        Chueng Chi-wai. They were held accountable for more   together with former CEO of Next Digital Chung Kim-
        than 30 reports calling for foreign sanctions.
                                                             hung, are charged with “collusion with a foreign country
                                                             or with external elements to endanger national security”,
                                                             while former COO Royston Chow Tat-kuen, former asso-
                                                             ciate publisher Chan Pui-man, and former digital platform
                                                             director Nick Cheung Chi-wai were released on bail.
                                                             23 June
                                                             Former Apple Daily editorial writer, Yeung Ching-kee,
                                                             whose pen name is “Li Ping”, was arrested on suspicion
         Apple Daily announced that “in view of employees’   of breaching the NSL. He was released on bail the next
         safety”, it decided “to cease operation immediately after   morning.
         midnight”. One million newspaper copies of its final
         edition were printed.                               All Apple Daily online platforms were shut down at
                                                             midnight. Supporters of Apple Daily lined up overnight
                                                             at newsstands to buy its swansong issue.
                                                             27 June

                                                             Former editor-in-chief of the Apple Daily English news
                                                             section and Editorial Writer Fung Wai-kong, whose pen
                                                             name is “Lo Fung”, was arrested under NSL. He was later
                                                             released on bail.
                                                             21 July

                                                             Former editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung was arrested on
         Apple Daily’s former associate publisher Chan Pui-man,   suspicion of breaching the NSL, when he attempted to
         former editorial writer Yeung Ching-kee, and former   depart at the Hong Kong International airport.
         editor-in-chief of the English news section and former
         editorial writer Fung Wai-kong were again arrested.
         Together with former editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung,
         they are charged with conspiracy to “collude with a
         foreign country or with external elements to endanger
         national security”.
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