Closing prosecution arguments in national security trial of Jimmy Lai
發佈日期: 2025-08-19 19:40
TVB News
The prosecution in the landmark national security trial of Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai continued with its closing submission earlier today.
The team accused Lai of continuing to encourage the U.S. and other countries to sanction Hong Kong after the national security law came into effect.
Former media mogul Jimmy Lai and three companies related to now-defunct newspaper Apple Daily have earlier been charged with collusion with foreign powers and publishing seditious publications.
In the prosecution's closing argument, the team said Lai's collusion offence began in April 2019 when he gave talks in the U.S. on two occasions and suggested sanctioning China via his articles.
On Lai's alleged offence of publishing seditious publications, the prosecution denied the defendant's claim that his Apple Daily articles merely containing "critical comments", instead calling them unreasonable attacks, as he did not provide any suggestions or solutions.
Judge Esther Toh raised concerns about whether a solution must be provided in a critical article, while Judge Alex Lee said Lai actually offered a solution as he suggested rescinding the extradition bill.
The prosecution responded noting that slanderous comments against the government causing people to lose confidence become hostile towards authorities constitute seditious intent.
The prosecution further said while Lai did not openly seek foreign sanctions on China after the implementaton of the national security law, he encouraged countries such as the U.S. to sanction the mainland and Hong Kong by providing false descriptions of the city's situation.
This as the prosecution stressed Lai was well aware of the serious nature of colluding with foreign powers but emphasised he "could not retreat but would only move forward".
