As many forumosans will know, the authorities in Hong Kong have been harassing Apple Daily, arresting its iconoclastic editor Jimmy Lai, seizing computers, and (despite earlier assurances) weaponizing the National Security Law retroactively to threaten journalists reporting on the democracy movement.
Facing this harassment and these heavy handed threats, Apple Daily has announced tomorrow—Thursday June 24, 2021—will be their last day of publication. I guess that will be one less source of criticism for the CCP and their lackies in Hong Kong.
The writing on the wall was the arrest months ago, followed by taiwan stopping print. this is not a surprise, and sadly they are closing to apease empty promises that will never be fullfilled. So the world loses another free press behind opressed lines and they will still be in jail afterwards. All tolled, lose-lose.
I sure hope people are still buying made in china in order to support this type of oppressive regime!
The world is totally screwed if we keep not giving a shit.
Btw, that’s not my phrase; it’s William Yang’s in his tweet embedded above. I imagine that as a journalist he needs to be more circumspect than I would be at this point.
It is amazing how little the world cares about thisbstuff.
This is why I have always said china is winning, because the self proclaimed good guys dont give a fuck. In my mind, that makes them not good guys by proxy.
Shameful, this world
And china still is winning despite what youtube says…
RIP. Very sad day for Hong Kong.
Jimmy Lai is actually one of my personal (anti)heroes. I have massive respect for him. I really hope he can get out of jail and spent the rest of his like with his family safely and peacefully.
Also feel for the staff and reporters and printers and editors and photographers , everybody that worked there in the free press.
I feel this is actually a loss for the world, not just china or hong kong. Sadly people will still enjoy buying overpriced expensive products built on the backs of cheap/forced labour in china. Ahem…apple… and no one will care much next month unless they invade their country. Even then, meh…?
Thise of us that care, of which here are easily millions, really need to start discussing and organising together. At the very least on issues of product purchases then move forward with more important issues.