Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai has pleaded not guilty to all charges in his closely-watched trial under the territory’s national security law that could see him jailed for life.
Lai, 76, has been in prison since December 2020 and faces two counts of “conspiracy to collude with foreign forces” under the China-imposed security law as well as “conspiracy to publish seditious publications” under a colonial-era sedition law.
His trial was delayed by a year – after the Hong Kong government questioned his choice of lawyer – seeking Beijing’s intervention – and finally got under way in December.
The founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper is one of Beijing’s most vocal critics and has already been convicted on lesser charges related to the management of the media firm and his involvement in a vigil to mark the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
“Not guilty,” Lai responded in English as each of the three charges was read out.
Wearing a white shirt and a navy blue jacket, Lai was surrounded by three prison guards in the defendant’s dock.
He wore headphones to help him hear the trial more clearly, according to his lawyer.
Other defendants in the case include three Apple Daily companies that have been taken over by the Hong Kong government, six former executives of the newspaper and two young activists related to an advocacy group called Stand With Hong Kong Fight For Freedom (SWHK).
Beijing imposed the broadly-worded national security law in June 2020, saying it was necessary to restore stability following the mass protests the previous year, which began amid popular opposition to a plan for an extradition bill with the mainland.
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