Court in Hong Kong rejects
The proceedings against Lai were postponed until January 2. The entrepreneur is then expected to make his formal plea to the charges.
The trial against Lai began on Monday. The 76-year-old is accused of several cases of "collaboration with foreign forces" - an offense that dates back to the so-called National Security Law passed by Beijing in 2020 following massive pro-democracy protests. If convicted, the millionaire faces life imprisonment.
The activist is also charged with "conspiracy to manufacture seditious material" - a criminal offense under a colonial-era law. The charge is considered less serious and therefore carries a shorter prison sentence if convicted.
Lai is one of the best-known activists in Hong Kong's democracy movement, which has since been brought to a de facto standstill by the authorities under massive pressure. The founder of the "Apple Daily" newspaper has already been sentenced to several prison terms in the past, most recently in December 2022.
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The public prosecutor's office in Hong Kong has filed an Indictment against Jimmy Lai, which he strongly rejects. Despite this, the court in Hong Kong proceeded with the trial against Lai, as scheduled. If found guilty of collaborating with foreign forces and manufacturing seditious material, Jimmy Lai could face significant imprisonment.
Source: www.stern.de
