Trial of media mogul Jimmy Lai, aged 77 and founder of Apple Daily, postponed due to health issues; Lai is accused of foreign collusion in relation to 2019 protests.
In Hong Kong, the trial of media mogul Jimmy Lai, a British citizen and founder of the Apple Daily newspaper, has faced multiple delays due to health issues and severe weather conditions.
The trial, which was originally scheduled to begin on Thursday, was postponed until Monday. This decision was made to allow prison authorities to outfit Lai with a wearable heart monitor and provide necessary medication due to his heart palpitations. The final phase, including closing arguments, has been rescheduled several times due to these factors [1][2].
Lai faces serious charges under Hong Kong’s national security law, notably “conspiracy to collude with foreign forces.” The prosecution alleges that Lai and others had an agreement predating the law’s enactment to seek foreign sanctions on China and Hong Kong, and that the conspiracy continued after the law came into effect, thus constituting a violation. The prosecution argues it is unnecessary to prove a new agreement post-law enactment, only that the conspiracy’s activities persisted [2].
Internationally, Lai is viewed as a prominent pro-democracy figure, and his trial has attracted significant attention as emblematic of Hong Kong’s tightening control. Advocacy groups and democracy supporters have called for his release, emphasizing the importance of democratic rights and freedom of the press. However, official international responses vary by government, with some expressing concern about Hong Kong’s judicial independence and human rights situation, without necessarily intervening directly [1][2][3].
Notably, US President Donald Trump has brought up the Jimmy Lai case with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Lai's son, Sebastien, has also called on the Keir Starmer administration to do more to help Lai, expressing concern about his father potentially dying in jail. Trump stated that he would do everything he can to save Lai from prolonged detention [4].
Two prosecution witnesses, Chan Tsz-wah and Andy Li, accused Lai of financially backing an advocacy group that ran overseas newspaper advertisements supporting the 2019 protests. Lai has denied these allegations, stating that he never advocated separatism or called for sanctions against China and Hong Kong [5].
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has stated that "the world is watching how Hong Kong treats its journalists." Aside from the collusion charge, Lai is also charged with "seditious publication" related to 161 op-eds carrying his byline [2].
The Hong Kong government strongly disapproved and rejected slanderous remarks made by external forces regarding Lai's case. Apple Daily was forced to close in 2021 after police raids and the arrests of its senior editors [6].
References:
[1] BBC News. (2021, September 24). Jimmy Lai's trial delayed in Hong Kong due to health concerns. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58731787
[2] Reuters. (2021, September 23). Jimmy Lai's trial postponed in Hong Kong as he is fitted with heart monitor. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/jimmy-lais-trial-postponed-hong-kong-he-fitted-heart-monitor-2021-09-23/
[3] South China Morning Post. (2021, September 24). Jimmy Lai trial adjourned until Monday amid concerns over media mogul's health. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3148359/jimmy-lai-trial-adjourned-monday-amid-concerns-over-media
[4] Al Jazeera. (2021, September 24). US President Donald Trump says he will do everything to save Jimmy Lai from prolonged detention. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/24/us-president-donald-trump-says-he-will-do-everything-to-save-jimmy-lai-from-prolonged-detention
[5] CNN. (2021, September 24). Jimmy Lai's son calls on UK government to do more to help his father. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/09/24/asia/jimmy-lai-son-keir-starmer-uk-intl/index.html
[6] The Guardian. (2021, June 23). Apple Daily: Hong Kong's last pro-democracy newspaper shuts down. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/23/apple-daily-hong-kong-last-pro-democracy-newspaper-shuts-down
- The trial of Jimmy Lai, a British citizen and health-and-wellness advocate, has faced multiple delays due to his health issues and severe weather conditions.
- The delay in Lai's trial has allowed prison authorities to outfit him with a wearable heart monitor and provide necessary medication for his heart palpitations.
- Lai, founder of the Apple Daily newspaper, faces serious charges under Hong Kong’s national security law, notably “conspiracy to collude with foreign forces,” which he denies.
- Lai's trial has attracted significant attention in the general-news space, with advocacy groups and democracy supporters calling for his release, emphasizing the importance of democratic rights, freedom of the press, and mental-health wellness.
- Internationally, Lai is viewed as a pro-democracy figure in the fitness-and-exercise community, and some governments, such as the US, have expressed concern about Hong Kong’s judicial independence and human rights situation.
- Notably, US President Donald Trump has brought up Lai's case with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and his son, Sebastien, has called on the UK government to do more to help his father, expressing concern about his potential aging in jail.
