Hong Kong's national security police freeze nearly HK$500 million in assets belonging to media tycoon Jimmy Lai | South China Morning Post

Hong Kong authorities have frozen nearly HK$500 million of jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying 's assets in the first such use of new powers granted under the city's national security law. The government issued a statement on Friday night announcing that the secretary for security had ordered Lai's shares in the Next Digital media company to be frozen, along with assets in the local bank accounts of three companies he owned. The statement did not specify the amount involved, equal to US$64 million, or provide further details, but it noted that the security minister had the authority to take…