Who’s Jimmy Lai, Hong Kong’s jailed media tycoon? | Hong Kong Protests Information

[ad_1] Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai’s nationwide safety trial has wrapped up after practically two years of proceedings.

The case in opposition to Lai, 77, has drawn the eye of world leaders and international rights teams, with observers carefully watching the end result as a barometer of the monetary hub’s rule of regulation and freedoms.

Closing arguments within the trial completed on Thursday, following repeated delays attributable to dangerous climate and issues over Lai’s well being, with the date for the decision to be set at a later date.

Right here’s what you'll want to know:

Who's Jimmy Lai?

Lengthy earlier than his nationwide safety trial, Lai was referred to as one among Hong Kong’s most well-known rags-to-riches tales.

After fleeing China for then-British Hong Kong as a baby within the Fifties, he constructed up a enterprise empire within the metropolis over a number of a long time.

His enterprise pursuits included the now-shuttered pro-democracy tabloid Apple Day by day.

Lai was referred to as one of many few members of Hong Kong’s enterprise elite to criticise the Chinese language Communist Occasion (CCP), which took management of Hong Kong in 1997, and overtly help town’s democracy motion.

Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute in the UK, mentioned Lai’s activism put a goal on his again for prosecution.

“From Beijing’s perspective, Jimmy Lai stands out as he's the very best profile and [most] persistent tycoon who used his fortune to help the democracy motion in Hong Kong, and thus challenges the authority of the CCP,” Tsang instructed Al Jazeera.

“To them, this makes Lai a traitor who have to be severely punished,” Tsang mentioned, including that the Chinese language authorities consider Lai have to be reprimanded in a “high-profile solution to scare others from following the identical path”.

What are the fees?

Lai was arrested in August 2020, shortly after Beijing imposed a nationwide safety regulation on Hong Kong, criminalising secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with overseas forces.

After quite a few delays to the beginning of his trial, courtroom proceedings lastly obtained below approach in December 2023.

Lai faces two counts of conspiring with overseas forces below the Beijing-decreed nationwide safety regulation, and one rely of sedition below a colonial-era statute.

Prosecutors have accused Lai of encouraging Hong Kong residents to hitch antigovernment protests that swept town in 2019, and urging america and different overseas international locations to sanction the Hong Kong and Chinese language governments.

If discovered responsible below the nationwide safety regulation, Lai might face life imprisonment.

Lai, who has already been convicted of a number of offences in separate circumstances associated to unauthorised meeting and fraud, has pleaded not responsible to all prices.

Why is his trial controversial?

The costs in opposition to Lai have been portrayed by United Nations observers and Western governments as politically motivated.

There have additionally been many irregularities all through his prosecution, in response to Eric Yan-ho Lai, a analysis fellow on the Georgetown Middle for Asian Legislation in Washington, DC.

“He has been put in solitary confinement and is affected by arbitrary detention,” Lai, who isn't any relation, instructed Al Jazeera, citing findings by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

“He has been convicted on a number of prices of public order and industrial fraud, however analysts noticed that was a tactic to maintain him in jail as a prisoner earlier than his trial commenced.”

Lai additionally famous that the tycoon was additionally denied his lawyer of selection, London-based Timothy Owen, after Beijing overrode the Hong Kong courts to dam his involvement within the case on nationwide safety grounds.

What does Hong Kong say?

The Hong Kong authorities has mentioned Lai’s case is being “dealt with strictly on the premise of proof and in accordance with the regulation”, and characterised criticism of the trial as a “smear marketing campaign”.

The federal government has additionally warned that commenting on the case might be seen as “an try and intrude with the courtroom to train judicial energy independently” and “represent perverting the courtroom of justice”.

Hong Kong authorities have additionally repeatedly defended the nationwide safety regulation from criticism by Western governments and human rights teams, arguing that the laws was vital to revive peace and stability to the previous British colony after the 2019 protests turned violent.

When is the decision anticipated?

The courtroom has but to set a date for the decision, but it surely might take weeks, and even months, to announce its resolution.

Lai’s guilt or innocence might be determined by three nationwide safety judges chosen by the chief government of Hong Kong, who's answerable to Beijing.

Tsang mentioned he was “99.99 % positive” the courtroom will discover Lai responsible on all counts.

His view is shared by many observers, given Lai’s prominence and elevated authorities affect on Hong Kong’s judicial system.

Since June 30, 2020, Hong Kong has arrested 271 folks for nationwide safety offences, formally charged 147 people and organisations, and located 108 folks responsible, in response to the US consulate in Hong Kong.

In 2024, Hong Kong adopted a second, regionally drafted nationwide safety regulation, which covers treason, rebellion, sabotage, exterior interference, sedition, and theft of state secrets and techniques and espionage.