The trial of imprisoned media mogul and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai began on Monday (December 18). Lai was heavily escorted by prison guards as he faced national security charges.
According to the Hong Kong Free Press, 76-year-old Lai's trial - expected to last months - was one of the most high-profile prosecutions in the Hong Kong government's crackdown on opposition and has been widely condemned by rights groups and other governments.
Lai was known as the founder of the now-censored newspaper Apple Daily and has been accused of conspiring to publish seditious material, as well as colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security under Beijing's sweeping legislation on the territory in 2020. If convicted - which observers said would be likely - he would face a sentence of up to life imprisonment.
First Day of Trial
The Guardian reported that the first day of Lai's trial adjourned without him entering a plea. His legal team sought to have the sedition charges, which were brought under a colonial-era law and not the Beijing-approved national security law, dropped for being outside a six-month statute of limitations.
It is believed that Lai stood accused of conspiring to print, publish, sell, or distribute copies of the Apple Daily, which prosecutors deemed as "seditious publications" between April 2019 and June 24, 2021, when the newspaper published its final edition.
Lai was a dual Hong Kong-British citizen, which meant that representatives from the foreign consulates of the US, UK, Australia, and Canada were present to observe the trial.
Despite heavy security, pro-democracy activists flocked to the courthouse in West Kowloon to secure public gallery seats. Among them include retired Hong Kong Bishop Cardinal Joseph Zen and "Grandma" Alexandra Wong, who appeared outside the courthouse waving a British flag.
Western Officials Condemn Lai's Trial
Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron condemned what he called the "politically motivated prosecution" of Lai and demanded his release.
"Hong Kong's national security law is a clear breach of the Sino-British joint declaration. Its continued existence and use is a demonstration of China breaking its international commitments," he said.
"As a prominent and outspoken journalist and publisher, Jimmy Lai has been targeted in a clear attempt to stop the peaceful exercise of his rights to freedom of expression and association."
The US State Department also condemned the trial, noting that Lai was denied his choice of legal counsel. It also called for his release as well as "all others imprisoned for defending their rights."
