The opposition media mogul continued to testify at the hearing in the case in which he was charged in 2019 with “incitement to public rebellion” and “collaboration with foreign forces” over his role in mass protests against the law to extradite criminals to mainland China.
On the third day of his testimony, Lai responded to allegations that he encouraged U.S. foreign intervention, arguing that he did so not for subversive reasons but in anticipation of diplomatic support.
Stating that he wanted to enlist U.S. support against China's moves to undermine basic freedoms in Hong Kong, Lai said he did so not with the aim of foreign intervention but to “instruct foreign governments to try to implement the policy.” “To improve the situation in Hong Kong through diplomatic means.”
I am looking for political support from abroad
When Lai's lawyer asked former US intelligence officer Mark Simon, who worked for him at the time, why he said Apple Daily should reach US readers, the former media mogul replied:
“I thought this could increase foreign readers' interest in Hong Kong and thus encourage politicians to express their support. They could communicate their concerns to the Chinese authorities through diplomatic channels, which would be very good for Hong Kong.”
Lai said the Beijing government's stance during the COVID-19 outbreak provides the newspaper with an opportunity to expand its readership by appealing to the prevailing anti-Chinese sentiment among the American public.
Allegations of street violence and incitement to public rebellion
The defense asked Lai whether he incited the public to riot through the comments he wrote on Apple Daily between October 2019 and May 2020.
Lai defended himself by saying that the increasing street violence in the city in the second half of 2019 was an “inevitable reaction” to police violence against demonstrators above a certain level, and in his op-ed articles called on radicals to show restraint and pointed to the need for a certain group of opinion leaders who lead the protest movement.
Lai, who was asked in one of his op-ed articles why he advised Hong Kongers to “constantly lobby and seek the support of foreigners,” noted that he suggested this not to impose sanctions on foreigners, but to promote peaceful and to promote non-violent protests.
The Hong Kong media mogul is being tried on charges that he “incited mass protests by inciting public rebellion through his publications and actions” and “colluded with foreign powers to impose international sanctions on government officials.”
The first hearing of the case, which was heard by the Supreme Court because it involves national security, took place on December 18, 2023.
Event
Hong Kong's bill, which in 2019 made it easier to extradite criminals to mainland China, the Macau Special Administrative Region and Taiwan, sparked an opposition backlash on the grounds that it would lead to the central government dominating the region's autonomous legal system.
While the law was being debated, there was intense debate in Parliament and, since June 2019, there have been large-scale mass demonstrations on city streets and university campuses involving thousands of people.
As the demonstrations gradually spread, the local government announced that the bill was suspended in July, and after the demonstrations did not stop, it announced that the bill was canceled in September.
Despite the repeal of the bill, demonstrators continued their protests until the end of the year, demanding the government's resignation.
National Security Law
Following the protests, the Chinese government made “attempts to overthrow the government, treason and acts endangering national security” a crime under the National Security Law enacted in June 2020. The law was passed by the Hong Kong Assembly and came into force in 2020 in the region.
The passage of the law, which essentially targets the pro-democracy protest movement, paved the way for the criminal prosecution of opposition journalists, politicians, business people and activists on “national security” grounds.
While more than 100 opponents were investigated under the law, many pro-democracy NGOs and media outlets were shut down.
Life imprisonment requested
Hong Kong police raided the offices of Apple Daily and its parent company Next Digital in August 2020 and arrested Jimmy Lai and six newspaper executives on charges that they had “violated the national security law” and “cooperated with foreign forces.”
The newspaper, whose assets were frozen and whose managers and editors were arrested, closed in June 2021.
Lai was sentenced to 5 years and 9 months in prison because the investigation into the company found irregularities in the rental agreements.
In the national security case, prosecutors are demanding a life sentence for Lai.
International impact of the case
The Lai case is seen by Western countries as a symbol of the violation of democratic freedoms in the former British colony.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer raised the issue during his bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
When asked whether he would speak to Chinese leader Xi about Lai's release during the election campaign, US President-elect Trump said: “I will 100 percent release him.” He replied.
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