The owner of Apple Daily, Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, and six others were arrested on Monday for suspected collusion with foreign or external forces and violation of the national security law for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

It came over a month after the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region took effect on June 30.

Earlier, Lai was arrested on April 18 along with 14 others for violating the Public Order Ordinance by organizing and taking part in unauthorized assemblies last year. The case is under trial.