"Final arguments have concluded in the national security trial of the pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong. Government-picked judges are retiring to consider their verdict in the case, seen internationally as a crucial test of the rule of law in the city. Lai, 77, has been in prison since 2020, when he was charged with two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious material."
"Often referred to as the Rupert Murdoch of Asia, Lai was one of the few Hong Kong business leaders willing to criticise Beijing, which has labelled him a modern day traitor and riot supporter. The case is the most high-profile example of the Hong Kong government's crackdown on the pro-democracy opposition in the city under the NSL, which broadly outlawed any act of dissent."
Final arguments have concluded in the national security trial of Jimmy Lai and government-picked judges are retiring to consider their verdict. Lai, 77, has been detained since 2020 and faces two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious material. The charges were brought under the national security law imposed by Beijing and a colonial-era sedition law. The case is internationally regarded as a major test of the city's rule of law and a central example of the crackdown on pro-democracy opposition. Closing arguments experienced delays due to bad weather and concerns over Lai's health, and he faces up to life in prison if convicted.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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