STORY: :: Supporters of Jimmy Lai brave the pouring rain as his trial resumes
:: November 20, 2024
:: Hong Kong
“Mr. Lai represents the Hong Kong spirit. After he came to Hong Kong, he greatly admired the atmosphere of democracy and freedom here. Being a Hongkonger from a generation similar to his, I too feel their desire for freedom. So I think, despite the rain, despite the hardship, I must come out to support Mr. Lai, because he truly is our role model. Although wealthy, he is very righteous.”
“So now there’s no press freedom. You see, Mr. Lai has been detained for so long without any reason, so I came out today out of conscience.”
Lai is charged with conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and publishing seditious materials, to both of which he has pleaded not guilty.
His testimony comes just a day after Hong Kong jailed 45 pro-democracy activists for up to 10 years in a separate national security case.
Lai has been held in pre-trial detention for over 1,400 days before his trial kicked off last December. He is already serving a five-year, nine-month jail term for a fraud conviction over a lease dispute for his now-shuttered pro-democracy newspaper, Apple Daily.