Two former top editors of Hong Kong pro-democracy online media outlet Stand News were charged with sedition on Thursday following a raid on its office the day before, according to the police.
The now-defunct outlet's former chief editor Chung Pui-kuen appeared in court after being charged under the colonial-era Crimes Ordinance with conspiracy to publish seditious publications.
Patrick Lam, who was acting editor-in-chief prior to their arrests Wednesday, faced the same charge but was absent from court as he was in the hospital.
The city's national security police said they would extend the same charge toward the parent company, though no representative was present during Thursday's hearing.
Singer and activist Denise Ho, who was among five others connected with Stand News who were arrested for the same offense, has been released on bail along with at least two others, according to local media reports.
Following the arrests, Stand News announced that it had ceased operations and dismissed all of its employees.
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Hong Kong pro-democracy outlet Stand News shuts after raid, arrests
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the raid and arrests in a statement, calling for the release of those detained.
"A confident government that is unafraid of the truth embraces a free press," Blinken wrote. "Journalism is not sedition."
At a press conference, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam responded to the statement, stressing that the Stand News raid had "nothing to do with so-called suppression of press freedom."
Lam further denied claims that the government is targeting opposition media and stressed that while journalism itself is not sedition, inciting others through seditious acts and activities "under the guise of news reporting" cannot be condoned.
