Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Media Mogul Refutes Allegations of Influencing US Actions in Trial
Jimmy Lai was one of the prominent individuals arrested under the revised Hong Kong National Security Law in 2020, supported by the Chinese Communist Party.
Hong Kong entrepreneur and pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai gave testimony in court for the first time since his detention back in 2020 on Nov. 20.
Lai took the stand on Nov. 20, continued his testimony the next day, and refuted accusations of inciting hatred or influencing foreign officials’ views on Hong Kong.
During his testimony, Lai denied urging U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence to take action against the Chinese regime amid the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests. He also clarified that he did not promote hatred towards the Chinese regime.
“We always supported freedom movements,” Lai stated on Wednesday, emphasizing that he did not endorse independence movements.
“I simply encouraged them to participate in demonstrations,” Lai stated on Thursday.
Lai, the owner of Apple Daily, a Hong Kong newspaper, was a vocal supporter of the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong and a critic of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
He was among the prominent figures arrested following the CCP-backed update to the Hong Kong National Security Law in 2020, which criminalized various forms of political assemblies, including the work of international organizations striving to achieve political objectives. A complementary national security law was enacted earlier this year to streamline the implementation of the national security law, imposing severe penalties such as life imprisonment for offenses like treason, insurrection, and sabotage. These laws have faced criticism from the international community for being oppressive and anti-liberty, especially as they apply to foreign nationals as well.
