Final edition of Hong Kong pro-democracy paper sells more than 1 million copies

The final edition of the Hong Kong pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily has sold more than 1 million copies.

The Associated Press reported that the paper printed 1 million copies of its last edition, up from 80,000 it normally prints.

The front page had an image of an employee waiving at supporters with the headline “Hong Kongers bid a painful farewell in the rain, ‘We support Apple Daily.’ ” The paper sold out by 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, according to the AP.

Apple Daily’s parent company, Next Media, announced on Wednesday that the paper would be shutting down due to the “the current circumstances prevailing in Hong Kong.”

Five editors and executives of the newspaper were arrested last week on charges for colluding with a foreign country. Authorities cited more than 30 articles that they alleged play a “crucial part” in efforts to conspire with foreign governments to impose sanctions on China and Hong Kong.

The arrest was the first time a new national security law had been used against journalists over something they published.

Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations’ high commissioner for human rights, blasted the national security law in remarks at the 2021 Society of Publishers in Asia press awards ceremony in Hong Kong, Reuters reported.

She said the law was forcing journalists to “self-censor” to avoid clashing with “vaguely formulated offenses.”

Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 14 months in prison last month for helping to organize an unauthorized pro-democracy rally in Hong Kong in October 2019.