pro-democracy tabloid is reportedly unable to pay staff after the authorities froze its assets.
Hong Kong’s last pro-democracy print newspaper Apple Daily says it could stop publishing on Saturday, if the government continues to keep its assets frozen after arresting five executives under the Beijing-imposed national security law.
The tabloid said management of Next Digital, the newspaper’s parent company, will decide on Friday whether to continue publishing the 26-year-old newspaper.
Mark Simon, an advisor to Apple Daily’s jailed founder Jimmy Lai, told reporters before the meeting that the newspaper could not pay its staff because its bank accounts had been blocked. HKFP has reached out to Simon, who is based abroad, for comment.
According to the newspaper, board members of Next Digital agreed to issue a letter to the Security Bureau, asking the authorities to unfreeze its assets to avoid breaking the law by owing wages.
If the board decides to halt production, its digital news operations will stop updating at 11.59 pm on Friday, according to an internal memo obtained by HKFP.
Hong Kong’s Apple Daily may halt publication this Sat, pending Fri board meeting
