Police arrest Apple Daily writer over ‘collusion’

Police said on Wednesday that they had arrested a 55-year-old man in connection with an on-going national security probe linked to the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper.

He was being detained on suspicion of conspiracy to collude with a foreign country or external forces to endanger national security, the police said.

It’s understood that the man, surnamed Yeung, is an editorial writer at the newspaper who goes by the pseudonym ‘Li Ping’.

A police spokesperson said the operation was still continuing and more people could be arrested.

Last Thursday, hundreds of officers raided the Apple Daily newsroom in Tseung Kwan O and arrested five of its senior executives, two of whom have already been charged.

Authorities have also frozen about HK$18 million of assets owned by three firms linked to the newspaper.

Staff have also been told that the newspaper could fold on Saturday if some of the money isn’t released by the government.