Three top staff of defunct Apple Daily arrested under Hong Kong security law

The Hong Kong Police on Wednesday arrested three senior employees of now-defunct pro-democracy Apple Daily under Hong Kong's controversial national security law.

The Hong Kong National Security Police revoked the bails of Apple Daily's ex-associate publisher Chan Pui-man, and Fung Wai-kong, ex-editor-in-chief of the English news section, local media reported.

The former executive editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung was also arrested by the national security police on Wednesday morning for allegedly conspiring to collude with foreign powers to endanger national security, Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP) reported citing a source.

Police arrested Lam Man-chung and searched his house early on Wednesday morning, according to local media. An HKFP source familiar with the company's operations confirmed Lam's arrest.

Lam had resigned as executive editor-in-chief after he oversaw the publication of the newspaper's last copy on June 24.

The pro-Chinese authorities continue to target former employees of the Apple Daily which was forced to shut down last month following the crackdown by the Hong Kong administration.

The board of the newspaper decided to cease all operations in Hong Kong at the end of June after five top executives and two lead opinion writers at Apple Daily and its parent company Next Digital were arrested under the Beijing-imposed national security law.

( With inputs from ANI )