One of Hong Kong’s leading businessmen has been arrested under controversial new laws introduced by China in June.

Chinese media reported that a number of executives from Mr Lai’s media group, Next Media, had also been arrested after a search of its headquarters. Next Media owns the Apple Daily newspaper, which has been critical of the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities.

'Collusion'

The Global Times newspaper quoted Hong Kong police sources as saying that Mr Lai had been arrested for “violating the national security law for Hong Kong for collusion with foreign powers”.

The businessman has been a high-profile pro-democracy voice and a supporter of protests that erupted in the city last year. He had been arrested in February but was released on bail.

Condemnation

The new laws have drawn criticism from the legal profession worldwide, with both the International Bar Association (IBA) and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) issuing strongly-worded statements of condemnation earlier this year.

The legislation includes offences of secession, subversion including undermining the power or authority of the central government, terrorism, and “collusion with foreign or external forces”.