"The 156-day trial, the most high-profile use of Beijing's draconian national security law, is set to come to a close. Hong Kong's High Court is set to hand down a verdict in the case of pro-democracy campaigner and media mogul Jimmy Lai next week, bringing an end to his lengthy national security trial. Lai's verdict will be delivered by a three-judge panel in a hearing that begins at 10am local time (02:00 GMT) on Monday, according to a court diary notice seen on Friday."
"Founder of the now-shuttered pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, Lai, 78, is charged with foreign collusion under Hong Kong's national security law, which Beijing imposed following huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019. He previously pleaded not guilty to two counts of conspiring to collude with foreign forces, as well as a third count of sedition under a colonial-era law."
"He is accused of using his publication to conspire with paralegal Chan Tsz-wah, activist Andy Li, and others to invite foreign countries including the United States, Britain and Japan to impose sanctions, blockades and other hostile measures against Hong Kong and China. Prosecutors also accuse Lai of stoking hatred against authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong through writing and publishing more than 150 critical op-eds in the outlet. He faces life imprisonment if convicted."
Hong Kong's High Court will hand down a verdict in Jimmy Lai's 156-day national security trial next week. Lai faces charges of conspiring to collude with foreign forces and a sedition count under a colonial-era law, accused of using Apple Daily to produce seditious publications and invite foreign governments to impose sanctions and hostile measures. Prosecutors allege more than 150 critical op-eds that stoked hatred against Beijing and Hong Kong authorities. Lai has been detained since December 2020 in solitary confinement for over 1,800 days, suffers multiple health issues, and faces life imprisonment if convicted.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]