Jimmy Lai arrested under national security law in Hong Kong

Jimmy Lai Chee-ying is taken by the police to the headquarters of Apple Daily for investigation in Hong Kong, south China, Aug. 10, 2020. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)

Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, an instigator of the Hong Kong riots, and nine other people were arrested Monday, with some of them suspected of breaching the national security law in Hong Kong, according to Hong Kong police and local media.

Of the 10 suspects aged from 23 to 72, six were arrested on suspicion of collusion with foreign forces or external elements to endanger national security and some others were suspected of conspiracy to commit fraud, the police said.

The police busted a group involved in requesting foreign forces to impose sanctions against Hong Kong, which continued operation after the national security law took effect in late June.

No details on the suspects were published by the police. Local media reported that people under arrest include Lai and his two sons, executives of the media company of Lai, and Agnes Chow Ting, former member of political group Demosisto.

A spokesman for the Security Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said no one is above the law and anybody who violates the law must face justice.

The police will not adopt a tolerant attitude and will take resolute law enforcement action, the spokesman said, adding the police operations are lawful and reasonable.

Upon the national security law taking effect, the HKSAR government established the national security department in the police force and proactively implemented the legal system and enforcement mechanism for safeguarding national security, the spokesman said.

The Security Bureau staunchly pushes forward and supports the enforcement work of the police in taking lawful measures to prevent, suppress and punish those acts and activities endangering national security, with a view to safeguarding national security and bringing Hong Kong back on the right track, the spokesman said.