The Hong Kong National Security law that was introduced last June is stifling freedom of the press in the former British colony. Pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily was forced to cease operation on June 24. Apple Daily’s founder Jimmy Lai has been charged with foreign collusion under the national security law. Following the incident, online pro-democracy outlet Stand News said on June 26 it had taken down commentaries from the platform. Hong Kong’s online media Post 852 announced on June 28 that all films it released previously have been removed from the internet for safety reasons. Winandmac Media also announced that it has moved out of Hong Kong and canceled its business registration in the city. Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) said that the “self-censorship” trend in the media industry has been “blowing fiercely like a hurricane,” and called on journalists to unite and support each other to defend freedom of …