A Hong Kong court yesterday rejected jailed pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai’s (黎智英) bid to throw out a charge of seditious publication in a trial that has attracted international attention.
The trial began on Monday for Lai, who is charged with “collusion” with foreign forces under a Beijing-imposed national security law, a charge that carries a potential life sentence.
He is also accused of “conspiracy to produce seditious publications” — a colonial-era offense that has been revived after decades of disuse — which is considered a lesser charge as it carries a shorter jail sentence if convicted.
Photo: AFP
His lawyers earlier said that the sedition charge should be tossed out as the prosecution began too late, beyond the six-month time limit stipulated by Hong Kong law.
“We are of the view the charge is not time-barred, so the application of the defense must fail,” Judge Esther Toh ruled yesterday, agreeing with prosecutors’ interpretation of how to calculate that window.
The case has been adjourned to Jan. 2, when prosecutors are expected to make opening arguments.
Lai, 76, is the founder of the now-shuttered Chinese-language tabloid Apple Daily, which often criticized Beijing and supported the huge pro-democracy protest movement that roiled Hong Kong in 2019.
His case is being closely watched as a barometer of Hong Kong’s political freedoms and judicial independence. Dozens of armed police were deployed around the Hong Kong court building yesterday, where activist Alexandra Wong (王鳳瑤) — better known as “Grandma Wong” — was the sole protester expressing support for Lai.
Present at yesterday’s brief hearing were Lai’s family members, media and a handful of representatives from foreign consulates.
He smiled and waved to his family when entering the courtroom, and his daughter made a “heart” sign with her hands.
Lai is a British citizen and his trial has sparked condemnation from the US and the UK — which have both called for his release — as well as the EU and UN.
The British Minister of State for Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan on Monday said that the UK would “continue to ask for consular access for Jimmy Lai.”
Beijing has dismissed the international criticism as “blatant political manuevering.”
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