By TeKāhu.

Hong Kong pro-democracy media outlet Stand News has been raided by 200 police officers, with HK$61 million (NZ$11 million) in assets seized. Police have also arrested three men and four women, on suspicion of “conspiracy to publish seditious publications”. The pro-democracy company was quickly frozen out with a message sent on social media channels. Other media outlets have reported that the arrested include former democratic legislator Margaret Ng, pop singer Denise Ho, Chow Tat-chi and Christine Fang – as well as former chief editor Chung Pui-kuen and acting chief editor Patrick Lam.

At this time there is significant uncertainty as to the safety of these individuals and whether their human rights are being observed.

As the day has progressed, sites have been closed down and more people have had raids on their homes.

As this article is being completed, The Daily Examiner has received reports of four more employees having their homes raided by police, with one of the co-founders also being sought. He is reported to be in Australia.

Hong Kong journalist Kris Cheng has been keeping as up-to-date as possible with consistent updates.

Cable TV: 4 other @StandNewsHK related people got home searched;

over 20 articles accused of incitement, of those 5 were demanded to be taken down within certain time, including reports about CUHK clash anniversary & smart prison- both criticised by security minister Chris Tang pic.twitter.com/h7lOkMDWMX

— Kris Cheng (@krislc) December 29, 2021

The raids have come after changes to the law were put in place, specifically around areas of speech and the Chinese government, with many neutral observers directing full blame on the Chinese communist party.

However, John Lee, whose official title is “Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China”, allegedly supported the action, stating:

Anybody who attempts to make use of media work as a tool to pursue their political purpose or other interests countering the law, particularly offences that endanger national security, they are the evil element that damage press freedom

Senior superintendent of the National Security Department, Steve Li Kwai-wah, spoke at a media gathering, advising that the arrests were connected to “seditious” articles published between July 2020 and November 2021, as well as apparently giving some advice to the press:

Steve Li's advice for press: "The primary concern for us is don't be biased. You know well how to report, how to be a responsible reporter, how to make an unbiased report to the readers. That's all I can give you. We are not targeting reporters and the media, just nsl offences." pic.twitter.com/jjqWSelOvH

— Rachel Cheung (@rachel_cheung1) December 29, 2021

The New Zealand Labour government has yet to give any response.