The statements issued by China and Hong Kong after Monday’s arrest of media tycoon Jimmy Lai underlined how quickly a national security law passed in June is undermining the city’s independent judicial system.
The Hong Kong Police Force on Twitter disputed a claim it searched the newsroom of Lai’s flagship Apple Daily newspaper without a warrant, and made clear that Lai and others were arrested “in suspicion of breaches” of the security law. Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s government used similar language that offered room for a presumption of innocence, saying they were “suspected” of breaching the law and an investigation was under way.
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