Bangkok: National Security Police in Hong Kong have taken into custody a 71-year-old man, marking a significant use of the national security law's investigation provisions for the first time. The arrest centers on allegations that the individual leaked sensitive details about a fire investigation at a residential tower block.
According to Thai News Agency, the South China Morning Post cited police sources revealing that the National Security Bureau made the arrest on Saturday. The suspect is accused of violating Article 88 of the Safeguarding National Security Law, which bars the investigation of crimes that threaten national security. The individual allegedly assisted the National Security Bureau with the investigation into a fire and subsequently shared the investigation details on his YouTube channel on December 2, despite prior warnings, thereby compromising the investigation.
The suspect is also reported to have circulated numerous messages on social media, following the fire at the Wangfujong apartment complex on November 26. These messages included false allegations against the Chinese and Hong Kong governments, intending to incite anti-government sentiment and public discord.
The source further disclosed that the detained individual was formerly a writer for the Apple Daily newspaper, which was shut down by Hong Kong authorities in June 2021. Additionally, he was a leader of the Civilian Human Rights Front, a group that was dissolved in August of the same year. This group was known for organizing the annual march on July 1, commemorating Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule in 1997.