-
Joe Biden condemn press freedom in Hong Kong over the closure of Apple Daily

US President Joe Biden has condemned suppressing press freedom in Hong Kong over the closure of Apple Daily. He also called for the release of the “journalists and media executives” who have been detained.
Earlier on Thursday, Hong Kong-based newspaper Apple Daily closed its doors after its offices were raided by police, employees detained, and assets frozen following accusations that the outlet was engaging in “collusion with a foreign country,” RT reported.
According to RT, officials pointed to examples of the newspaper encouraging foreign sanctions on China as a “crucial part” of their accusation.
Li Ping, an editorial writer at the paper, was arrested in Tseung Kwan O “on suspicion of conspiring to collude with foreign countries or foreign forces to endanger national security,” and the paper’s CEO, COO, and chief editor were all taken into custody.
RT quoted Biden as saying in a statement on Thursday Apple Daily a “much-needed bastion of independent journalism in Hong Kong” that was forced to close due to “intensifying repression by Beijing.”
The president went on to say the national security law Apple Daily is accused of violating “penalizes free speech,” and called on Beijing to “stop targeting the independent press” and release all detained Apple Daily employees.
Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, previously pushed back against Western nations condemning the situation with Apple Daily.
“It’s not a problem to criticize the Hong Kong government, but if there is an intent to organize activities to incite the subversion of the government then that is, of course, a different thing,” she said about the arrests.
The US had previously condemned the arrests and raid as “politically motivated,” something Lam specifically denounced.
“Don’t try to underplay the significance of breaching the national security law,” she said. “Don’t try to beautify these acts of endangering national security.”
Hua Chunying, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, has also previously criticized the US regarding press freedom.
“Some in the US, in the name of freedom of press and speech, wantonly smear and attack China. This in itself is spreading disinformation and a travesty of real freedom and democracy,” she said, going on to cite Julian Assange as an example of the US’ negative treatment of journalists.
“If they are truly defending freedom, why deprive other countries of their right and freedom to normal development and suppress them?” she added. Hong Kong
Source: RT
Image source: REUTERS-RT
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!