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Six former staff of a Hong Kong newspaper that was forced to close under the Chinese territory’s sweeping national security law have pleaded guilty to conspiring to collude with foreign forces. Apple Daily, a pro-democracy tabloid known for its vigorous criticism of Beijing, was forced to close in June last year after authorities froze its bank accounts and arrested senior executives and editorial staff. The four senior editors and two executives pleaded guilty to conspiring with Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai, who is facing a separate national security trial next month, in the foreign collusion. Mark Simon is a former senior executive at Apple Daily and a friend of Jimmy Lai. He told Newsday: “The collusion itself is simply printing articles from foreigners…They pleaded guilty because with that charge, what’s the defence?...There’s no defence. Mr Lai is fine with that. Jimmy is not looking to be a martyr. He’s not looking to load a boat up and take it down the river with him…because he knows he will be found guilty as well.” (Picture: Shows police officers arriving at the office of Next Media, publisher of Apple Daily, in Hong Kong, China, on the 17th June 2021, to arrest executives on suspicion of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under the China-imposed legislation. Credit: Apple Daily handout.)