Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai denies knowingly doing anything ‘specifically illegal’
Jimmy Lai, the former media boss of Apple Daily, testified that he was willing to "take risks" after the implementation of Hong Kong's national security law, but claimed he avoided explicitly illegal actions like instigating foreign sanctions. He admitted to "playing edgeball," referring to operating in the "grey area" of the law, as described by a prosecution witness.
Lai explained that his actions were driven by a desire to preserve Hongkongers' freedoms, making it difficult to distance himself from the national security law's boundaries. Prosecutors are attempting to demonstrate that Lai continued to provoke hostile reactions from foreign governments even after the law took effect in June 2020. The trial, now in its 49th day, also saw accusations of disrespectful conduct from court spectators who allegedly mocked a judge's questioning of Lai's nationality.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Jimmy Lai, the former media boss of Apple Daily, testified that he was willing to "take risks" after the implementation of Hong Kong's national security law, but claimed he avoided explicitly illegal actions like instigating foreign sanctions. He admitted to "playing edgeball," referring to operating in the "grey area" of the law, as described by a prosecution witness.
Lai explained that his actions were driven by a desire to preserve Hongkongers' freedoms, making it difficult to distance himself from the national security law's boundaries. Prosecutors are attempting to demonstrate that Lai continued to provoke hostile reactions from foreign governments even after the law took effect in June 2020. The trial, now in its 49th day, also saw accusations of disrespectful conduct from court spectators who allegedly mocked a judge's questioning of Lai's nationality.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
