Lai, 76, is the founder of the defunct pro-democracy organization and at one time was a critic of Beijing’s Apple Daily newspaper. He is accused of collaborating with foreign powers under the controversial national security law that China imposed in Hong Kong in 2020.
Lai was arrested during a crackdown on the city’s pro-democracy movement after the 2019 protests. Last December, he was sentenced to five years in prison for fraud. Then, as now, the legal process was heavily criticized by the outside world. Before the trial began on Monday, the United States and Great Britain demanded Lai’s release.
Lai, who is also a British citizen, has not appeared in public since 2021. The man in the suit was thinner than before when he appeared in court, but he smiled and waved to his family in the audience.
The process is expected to continue for some time until 2024. If Jimmy Lai is proven guilty, he risks life imprisonment. The trial is seen as a benchmark for press freedom and judicial independence in Hong Kong.
The region’s current security law prohibits separatist activities, subversive activities, terrorism, and collusion with foreign powers or other foreign parties perceived to threaten China’s security. Dozens of opponents have been arrested and imprisoned since the law was issued.
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