Taiwan condemns 'political oppression' after closure of ‘Apple Daily’

‘History will always record the "ugly face" of those in power suppressing freedom’, says the country’s Mainland Affairs Council

A night view of Apple Daily headquarters is seen in this drone picture. Hong Kong's pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper will stop publishing Thursday, June 24, following last week's arrest of five editors and executives and the freezing of $2.3 million in assets under the city's one-year-old national security law.

Taiwan's government on Thursday, June 24, 2021, expressed its condemnation of the "political oppression" of Hong Kong media after the Chinese-run city's most vocal pro-democracy newspaper, Apple Daily,printed its last edition .

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said this "unfortunate incident" has sounded the death knell for freedom of press and speech in Hong Kong and that history will always record the "ugly face" of those in power suppressing freedom

Hong Kong pro-democracy newspaper

Apple Daily announced Wednesday it will print its final edition after authorities froze its assets using a sweeping new national security law, silencing the city's most China critical media outlet.

The decision is the latest blow to Hong Kong's freedoms and will deepen unease over whether the international finance centre can remain a media hub as China seeks to stamp out dissent.