By Jessie Pang and James Pomfret
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai finished testifying in court on Thursday in a landmark national security trial where he stands accused of colluding with foreign forces and sedition.
Thursday marked day 144 of the trial against Lai and his 52nd day in the witness box, after which he thanked the judges and waved to his supporters.
Lai, 77, founder of the Apple Daily newspaper that was forced to close after a police raid and asset freeze in June 2021, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces, and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious material.
Lai, whose health is fragile according to his family, faces a possible life sentence under a China-imposed national security law. Some countries, including the U.S. and Britain, have called for his immediate release alleging the trial is political.
Lai’s plight has become a friction point between the U.S. and China, with Donald Trump saying he would “one hundred percent” get Lai out of the country.
Over weeks of testimony, Lai spoke candidly on topics including his defence of free speech and the media, while rejecting allegations by the prosecution that he had lobbied the U.S. to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China.
He also remained defiant in the face of intense cross-examination. In one exchange he called himself a “political prisoner” only for one judge, Esther Toh, to reject that and say Lai was in court to face a criminal charge. Lai said he had the right to disagree.
Before concluding his cross-examination, prosecutor Anthony Chau read out the three charges, alleged conspiracies and co-conspirators, and asked Lai if he agreed with them.
“Of course I disagree. Totally rubbish,” Lai said.
Lai added that he did not even know one of the alleged co-conspirators, Andy Li.
Lai has been held in solitary confinement for more than 1,500 days since December 2020.
Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, speaking in Hong Kong in January, called on Beijing to end Lai’s ordeal.
“There’s probably no more compelling gesture in the short term, to send a message of goodwill to the people of the United States or the free world, than if China were to take steps to free Jimmy Lai,” Pence said at a closed door investor conference, a recording of which was reviewed by Reuters.
Hong Kong authorities say Lai’s trial is fair and the national security law has brought stability after mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.
No firm date has been set for a verdict, but a judge recently indicated it could come in October.
(Editing by Alex Richardson)
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