The Acting Chief Executive-in-Council (CE-in-C) today ordered the Registrar of Companies to strike off three companies relating to Apple Daily from the Companies Register and these companies have been dissolved.

The CE-in-C invoked the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL) and the Companies (Winding Up & Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance to strike off the three companies - Apple Daily Limited, Apple Daily Printing Limited and AD Internet Limited.

The registrar has thereupon struck the three companies off the Companies Register and published a notice in the gazette. The companies have been dissolved.

In the case, Lai Chee-ying and the three companies relating to Apple Daily were prosecuted with a total of three charges of offences endangering national security.

The court convicted Lai Chee-ying and the three companies relating to Apple Daily of all charges and handed down sentences on February 9. Amongst others, the three companies relating to Apple Daily were each sentenced to a fine of $3,004,500.

The court pointed out that without the facilitation from the three companies relating to Apple Daily, two of the charges in this case could not have occurred, and that there were no valid mitigating factors in respect of the three companies.

HKNSL Article 31 stipulates that the operation of an incorporated or unincorporated body such as a company or an organisation shall be suspended or its licence or business permit shall be revoked if the body has been punished for committing an offence under that law.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government said it is necessary to revoke the registration of the three companies relating to Apple Daily, and prohibit the operation or continued operation of the three companies in the Hong Kong SAR, in order to effectively safeguard national security.

The Secretary for Security issued written notices to the three companies relating to Apple Daily respectively on February 11, affording them an opportunity to make representations regarding the intention of the Secretary for Security to make recommendation to the CE-in-C. Replies were received from the directors of the three companies on February 25, confirming that there were no representations from those companies.

Taking into account all the relevant circumstances of the case, including the conviction and severity of the offences committed by the three companies relating to Apple Daily and the recommendation by the Secretary for Security, the Acting CE-in-C today ordered the Registrar of Companies to strike the three companies relating to Apple Daily off the Companies Register.

The three companies have been dissolved and become prohibited organisations. Any person who engages in the acts specified in the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance commits an offence, including acting as an office-bearer or a member of a prohibited organisation; and giving aid of any kind to a prohibited organisation, and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $1 million and imprisonment for 14 years.

The Government appeals to members of the public not to participate in any activities of prohibited organisations or have any connection with them.