West Kowloon Magistracy on Thursday denied bail for four former Apple Daily senior executives charged with violating the national security law.
Associate publisher Chan Pui-man, editorial writer and English news section head Fung Wai-kong, executive chief editor Lam Man-chung and editorial writer Yeung Ching-kei have been charged with conspiracy to collude with foreign forces, asking for sanctions against the Hong Kong SAR or China.
The alleged offences took place between July 2020 and April 2021.
In applying for bail, the four’s lawyers said their clients were willing to accept conditions including never taking media interviews, never working in the media industry again and never contacting overseas officials.
They also said they would never publish any articles that could be seen as endangering national security, and are willing to surrender their travel documents.
However, judge Victor So – a designated national security judge – turned down their applications.
He said there’s not enough evidence to believe the defendants “will not commit further acts endangering national security”.
The case was adjourned until 30 September.
Scores of people attended the court proceedings, many of which were former workers at the pro-democracy newspaper.
Two former senior executives of the paper, chief editor Ryan Law and publisher Cheung Kim-hung, had earlier been charged under the national security law, as was its founder Jimmy Lai.
Apple Daily shut down last month, printing its final edition on June 24. It said it was closing because of a lack of funds, after the government froze its assets as part of a national security investigation.
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