Ex-Stand News editors denied bail

Two former Stand News editors were denied bail by West Kowloon Court on Thursday, one day after they were arrested by national security police.

Former editor-in-chief Chung Pui-kuen, 52, former acting editor-in-chief Patrick Lam, 34, and the parent company of Stand News, Best Pencil Hong Kong Limited, were each charged with one count of conspiracy to publish seditious publication.

They’re accused of conspiring with others to publish or reproduce seditious publications between July 7 last year and December 29 this year.

Chung was the only defendant who was at Thursday’s hearing. Lam’s lawyer said his client could not attend because he was in hospital, and Best Pencil did not send a representative to court.

The prosecution told the court that Tony Tsoi, founder of Stand News, was the outlet’s only remaining board member, and he was not in Hong Kong.

The prosecution requested the court to adjourn the hearing for eight weeks, saying the police needed more time for their investigation. It said the police had seized 62 computers, 27 storage devices and six boxes of documents, and would also have to look at Lam’s mobile phone.

Chung and Lam were remanded in custody by acting principal magistrate Peter Law before their next court appearance on February 25.

Law said he was not convinced that the pair would not carry out acts endangering national security.

Meanwhile, several former Stand News board members arrested in connection with the case on Wednesday, including singer Denise Ho and barrister Margaret Ng, were granted bail on Thursday.

In another development, Yeung Tin-shui, head of Stand News’ office in the UK, announced on Facebook that the office has ceased operations and he had resigned.