Landmark nationwide safety trial opens in Hong Kong for outstanding activist writer Jimmy Lai
HONG KONG (AP) — A landmark nationwide safety trial opened Monday in Hong Kong for outstanding activist and writer Jimmy Lai, who faces a attainable life sentence if convicted underneath a regulation imposed by Beijing to crush dissidents.
Lai, 76, was arrested in August 2020 throughout a crackdown on town’s pro-democracy motion underneath the sweeping nationwide safety regulation enacted following big protests 4 years in the past. He was charged with colluding with international forces to hazard nationwide safety and conspiring with others to place out seditious publications.
The intently watched case — tied to the now-shuttered pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily that Lai based — is broadly seen as a trial of press freedom and a check for judicial independence within the Asian monetary hub.
China promised that the previous British colony may retain its Western-style civil liberties for 50 years after returning to Chinese rule in 1997. But lately, the Hong Kong authorities has severely restricted free speech and meeting and just about eradicated political opposition underneath the rubric of sustaining nationwide safety. Many main activists had been arrested, silenced or compelled into self-exile.
Lai’s trial is Hong Kong’s first on costs of collusion with international forces. It additionally targets three firms associated to Apple Daily.
Lai smiled and waved at his supporters after he walked into the courtroom. Some members of the general public waved at Lai to indicate their help. Hong Kong’s Roman Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen, a vocal democracy advocate within the metropolis, and representatives from international consulates had been among the many attendees.
Ahead of the opening statements, Lai‘s lawyer Robert Pang, facing the prosecution in court, said the sedition charge his client was facing didn’t comply with the due course of regulation.
Pang argued the regulation required the prosecution of sedition costs to start inside six months after an alleged offense was dedicated, saying the prosecutors did not do it inside that timeframe in Lai’s case.
Three judges, permitted by the government, are overseeing the proceedings. The trial is predicted to final about 80 days.
Last 12 months, six former Apple Daily executives entered responsible pleas to collusion costs, admitting to the courtroom they conspired with Lai to name for sanctions or different hostile actions towards Hong Kong or China. They had been convicted and await sentencing behind bars.
Some of the previous executives, alongside two others who additionally pleaded responsible to collusion costs, had been anticipated to testify as witnesses for the prosecution of Lai.
Outside the courtroom constructing, there was a heavy police presence. Dozens of residents queued as much as attend the listening to hours earlier than its begin.
Jolly Chung, 29, was among the many first within the line, saying she would attempt to get in to look at the proceedings at any time when she may.
“As a Hong Konger, I want to witness this, even though I know he will lose,” she stated.
Andy Sung, in his 40s, stated he got here to witness historical past. “Choosing to come here is a small practice of some sort of resistance,” he stated.
Pro-democracy activist Alexandra Wong, popularly referred to as “Grandma Wong,” was blocked from approaching the courtroom constructing by the police.
“Support Jimmy Lai, support the Apple Daily, support the truth,” she chanted.
Lai‘s trial was originally scheduled to start last December but was postponed while the Hong Kong government appealed to Beijing to effectively block his attempt to hire a British defense lawyer. City authorities subsequently barred the lawyer, Timothy Owen, from representing Lai, saying it would likely pose national security risks.
Last week, Lai’s son Sebastien met with Britain’s international secretary, David Cameron, to foyer for Britain’s assist in liberating his father, who holds British citizenship.
Cameron stated in a press release that the safety regulation is a “clear breach” of the Sino-British Joint Declaration and its continued use reveals China has damaged its worldwide commitments.
British and Chinese authorities signed the settlement in 1984, stipulating that Hong Kong would retain a excessive diploma of autonomy and freedoms for 50 years.
Cameron stated he was notably involved by the “politically motivated prosecution” of Lai. He urged Chinese officers to repeal the safety regulation and launch Lai.
“Jimmy Lai has been targeted in a clear attempt to stop the peaceful exercise of his rights to freedom of expression and association,” Cameron stated.
The U.S. condemned Lai’s prosecution and urged authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing to respect press freedom, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated.
“We call on Hong Kong authorities to immediately release Jimmy Lai and all others imprisoned for defending their rights,” he stated.
When requested for remark in regards to the Western condemnation of the safety regulation, Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Wang Wenbin stated throughout his every day briefing: “The U.S. and U.K. statements making such irresponsible remarks on the ongoing judicial process is against the spirit of the rule of law, international law and the basic norms of international relations.” Wang added that it ”was politically motivated and a 100% double commonplace. China firmly opposes this.”
He additionally accused Lai of being “the major mastermind” within the metropolis’s “anti-China riots” and “an agent and pawn of the anti-China forces.”
“As for the U.S. and U.K. statements making such irresponsible remarks on the ongoing judicial process, it is against the spirit of the rule of law, international law and the basic norms of international relations,” he stated. “This is politically motivated and a 100% double standard. China firmly opposes this.”
He stated the Chinese authorities helps town in upholding nationwide safety and that makes an attempt to smear the safety regulation “will never succeed.”
Hong Kong, as soon as seen as a bastion of media freedom in Asia, ranked one hundred and fortieth out of 180 international locations and territories in Reporters Without Borders’ newest World Press Freedom Index. The group stated town had seen an “unprecedented setback” since 2020 when the safety regulation was imposed.
Online information outlet Stand News, recognized for its overtly vital stance towards the Hong Kong authorities, was compelled to close down underneath the crackdown, with its two former high editors being charged with sedition.
The governments of each Hong Kong and China have hailed the regulation for bringing again stability to town.
In Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday met with Hong Kong chief John Lee, affirming the latter’s work over the previous 12 months. Xi stated Lee – who was in Beijing on his annual journey to report on what’s occurring within the territory- has led an administration to firmly safeguard nationwide safety and overhaul the system of district councils.
“(Efforts by your government) strengthened the trend of Hong Kong moving from chaos to order,” Xi stated through the metropolis chief’s annual work journey to report Hong Kong’s newest conditions to Beijing.
Last week, Hong Kong held its first district council elections since new guidelines had been launched underneath Beijing’s steerage, successfully shutting out all pro-democracy candidates. Voter turnout plunged to a report low because the 1997 handover.
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Associated Press video journalist Alice Fung contributed to this report.
