Jimmy Lai verdict: Hong Kong court docket finds democracy advocate and media tycoon responsible of sedition and collusion | EUROtoday

A court docket in Hong Kong has discovered the British media tycoon and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai responsible on a number of prices of sedition and international collusion, in a landmark second for town’s draconian nationwide safety legal guidelines and sliding press freedoms.

Lai, 78, faces the prospect of spending the remainder of his life in jail. He is anticipated to be sentenced early subsequent 12 months.

The British nationwide, who was the founding father of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper in Hong Kong, was arrested in 2020 shortly after Beijing launched powerful new nationwide safety legal guidelines as a part of a crackdown on large anti-government protests in 2019.

On Monday, decide Esther Toh mentioned Lai’s actions left “no doubt” that he had “harboured resentment” for the Chinese authorities.

“The evidence plainly shows that [Lai] clearly conspired with senior management at Apple Daily and the corporate entities in counts one and two,” she mentioned.

“There is indisputable evidence that [Lai] conspired with the named conspirators in count three … to request foreign countries to impose sanctions, blockade, or engage in other hostile activities against the PRC, HKSAR or both,” she mentioned, referring to the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

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