US NSA denounces media tycoon's arrest, urges China to repeal national security law

US National Security visor Robert C O'Brien, on August 10, urged China to repeal National Security Law and restore Hong Kong's rule of law immediately. His remarks came in reaction to arrest of Hong Kong's media tycoon Jimmy Lai, who has been charged with flouting law. situation in city-state has intensified in recent weeks, with police making frequent arrests under National Security Law.

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'China is attacking city's freedom'

O’Brien, who has lambasted Beijing for its draconian law, said China was w attacking freedom which it has promised to Hong Kongers. Speaking at a press briefing, he also condemned Lai’s arrest and said that US was “deeply troubled “ by arrest of a  businessman, publisher and pro-democracy vocate. “Two of Jimmy's sons and several executives from his media company have also been arrested by Hong Kong authorities under auspices of national security law imposed by Chinese Communist Party”, top diplomat ded.

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Lai, a media tycoon and one of prominent democracy activists in region, was arrested under national security law on August 10. Hong Kong police stormed offices of Lai’s Apple Daily newspaper and arrested media mogul over suspected collusion with foreign forces. Lai is founder of Giorda, an Asian clothing retailer; Next Digital, a Hong Kong-listed media company; and popular pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily. 

"Jimmy and his colleagues are powerful voices for fundamental rights and liberties that Beijing guaranteed to people of Hong Kong, but that it w systematically attacks. As a newspaperman, entrepreneur, and citizen, Jimmy Lai has exercised, celebrated, and defended liberty by warning what Hong Kong would be like without it," O'Brien said about arrest/ 

Deuncing Beijing’s National Security Law, he said that  law denied Hong Kongers ir “fundamental rights and liberties”. Speaking furr, he said that law also increased communist party's control over its internal affairs ding that legislation was “latest violation” of Beijing's commitment to Hong Kong people around world.

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