Security Judge Denies Bail To Apple Daily Execs

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 are accused of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces by allegedly seeking sanctions against Hong Kong and 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 not taking media interviews, never working in the media industry again, and not contacting overseas officials or legislators.

They also said they would never publish any articles that could be seen as endangering national security, and were 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 September 30.

Scores of people attended the court hearing, many of them 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 Apple Daily's founder Jimmy Lai.

The newspaper 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.