A Hong Kong court yesterday finished hearing closing arguments in the national security trial of pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai (黎智英), although a judge declined to say when a verdict would be reached.
The 156-day trial, which began in December 2023, has become the most high-profile example of China’s crackdown on rights and freedoms in the territory under Hong Kong’s National Security Law that was imposed after mass democracy protests in 2019.
When asked to give an indication of the verdict date, one of the three judges, Esther Toh (杜麗冰), said that would be announced “in good time.”
Photo: EPA
The 77-year-old Lai, who is the founder of the now-shuttered pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper and has been behind bars since late 2020, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious material.
Some countries such as the US say the trial is politically motivated and have demanded Lai’s immediate release.
Lai, who faces possible life imprisonment, stands accused of using the Apple Daily as a platform to conspire with six former executives and others to produce seditious publications between April 2019 and June 2021, and to collude with foreign forces between July 2020 and June 2021.
If the tycoon is found guilty, the court would need to hear additional arguments on sentencing.
He was accused of conspiring with activist Andy Li (李宇軒), paralegal Chan Tsz-wah (陳梓華) and others to invite foreign countries, including the US, the UK and Japan, to impose sanctions, blockades and other hostile activities against Hong Kong and China. He was also accused of financing advocacy group Stand with Hong Kong.
During the submissions, Lai’s lawyer Marc Corlett said there was no evidence his client directed or agreed with any of his alleged coconspirators to continue such actions against Hong Kong and China after the security law took effect.
Another lawyer for Lai, Robert Pang (彭耀鴻), said the 161 articles cited by the prosecution were not seditious and the press should be given “greater latitude” of freedom of expression.
Pang also said Lai’s “armchair punditry” on social media and live chats were just “pure commentary,” including one instance in which Lai said that the only way for China to reconcile with the world would be if Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) steps down.
However, Toh said that freedom of expression has limits, citing examples in the US and the UK of people being arrested for protests related to Palestine.
“It’s good to say: ‘La-di-da, freedom of expression is not illegal.’ Well, that’s true, but it’s not an absolute,” she said.
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