President Joe Biden demanded Beijing stop its “intensifying repression” in Hong Kong after the forced closure of a major pro-democracy newspaper, Apple Daily. After suffering a massive police raid a week earlier and having their funds frozen by the Hong Kong government, the outlet—one of the few independent media in the city—printed its final edition on June 24, distributing 1 million copies. Its website, social media accounts, and mobile app are no longer accessible. The paper said it made the decision over their staff’s safety and manpower considerations. “It is a sad day for media freedom in Hong Kong and around the world,” said Biden in a statement on Thursday. “People in Hong Kong have the right to freedom of the press. Instead, Beijing is denying basic liberties and assaulting Hong Kong’s autonomy and democratic institutions and processes, inconsistent with its international obligations.” Hailing the outlet “a much-needed bastion of …
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