Erosion of Hong Kong's free press? | DW News

Pro-democracy outlet Stand News has announced it will stop operating afer police arrested six of its current and former staff for "conspiracy to publish seditious publications."

Police in Hong Kong arrested six senior current and former staff members of an online media organization, authorities said on Wednesday morning.

The six have been arrested for "conspiracy to publish seditious publications," the government added in a press release.

Hong Kong broadcaster TVB said the six are current or former staff from pro-democracy news website Stand News.

News agency AFP reported that Stand News acting editor-in-chief Patrick Lam was being led away in handcuffs.

Former editor-in-chief Chung Pui-kuen and four board members who resigned in June were among those arrested, according to local media.

Later Wednesday, Stand News announced its closure.

DW correspondent Phoebe Kong said that the more than 200 officers deployed to search the office of Stand News confiscated materials and documents.

She also said officers of the Hong Kong police's national security department searched the home of Hong Kong Journalists Association chairman Ronson Chan.

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