Press release

Closure of Apple Daily in Hong Kong: Foreign Secretary's statement

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab comments on the closure of the Apple Daily newspaper in Hong Kong.

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said:

The forced closure of Apple Daily by the Hong Kong authorities is a chilling blow to freedom of expression in Hong Kong.

It is crystal clear that the powers under the National Security Law are being used as a tool to curtail freedoms and punish dissent – rather than keep public order.

The Chinese government undertook to protect press freedom and freedom of speech in Hong Kong under the UK-Sino Joint Declaration. It must keep its promises, and stand by the commitments it freely assumed.

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Updates to this page

Published 23 June 2021