HONG KONG -- Three Apple Daily companies and two of their executives were prosecuted for breaching the national security law in Hong Kong on West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts Saturday.

The defendants were accused of conspiring with Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, an instigator of Hong Kong riots, and others to request a foreign country or an institution, organization or individual outside the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao to impose sanctions or blockade, or engage in other hostile activities against Hong Kong or the country from July 1 of last year to April 3.

Ryan Law Wai-kwong and Cheung Kim-hung were arrested on Thursday along with three other people, who work for Apple Daily Ltd., Apple Daily Printing Ltd. and AD Internet Ltd. While Law and Cheung were brought to the court on Saturday, the other three suspects were released on bail on Friday.

A judge said Saturday the case will be adjourned to August 13.