Jimmy Lai, the 77-year-old founder of the Apple Daily newspaper, is charged with foreign collusion under Hong Kong's national security law, linked to 2019 pro-democracy protests. The trial has faced multiple postponements due to health issues, as Lai experiences heart palpitations. He has been detained since December 2020, raising concerns over his welfare. The trial is nearing conclusion after beginning in December 2023, with international calls for his release. Lai also faces seditious publication charges related to 161 op-eds, further impacting Hong Kong's global reputation as a bastion of press freedom.
The 77-year-old founder of the Apple Daily newspaper is charged with foreign collusion under Hong Kong's national security law, which Beijing imposed following widespread pro-democracy protests in 2019.
Lai has been kept behind bars since December 2020, reportedly in solitary confinement, raising significant concerns over his health and welfare.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) stated that the world is watching how Hong Kong treats its journalists, emphasizing the implications of Lai's prolonged detention on Hong Kong's reputation.
The sprawling trial, which began in December 2023, has entered its final stages, with Western nations and rights groups continuing to call for Lai's release.
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