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Hong Kong’s most prominent Chinese critic received a five-year, nine-month sentence on two counts of fraud for allegedly covering up operations by a private company at the headquarters of the Apple Daily outlet. Lai has been behind bars since December 2020 and this new punishment aroused the anger of Western countries.
This Saturday, December 10, the Hong Kong pro-democracy tycoon, Jimmy Lai, suffered a new judicial setback after being sentenced to spend five years and nine months in prison accused of fraud and violating a lease agreement for the headquarters of the liberal newspaper of which was possessor.
At 75, the businessman was punished for covering up operations of a private company within the Apple Daily facilities. Prosecutors explained that these lands could only be used for “publishing and printing.”
According to court judge Stanley Chan, Lai acted “under the protective umbrella of a media organization” and stressed that the punishment of the businessman did not amount to an attack on press freedom.
While Chan also reduced three months because the defendant acknowledged much of the Prosecution’s case and issued an order preventing Lai from becoming a director of any company for eight years and a $260,000 fine. The defense lawyer asked the judge to consider his age and his contributions to the Hong Kong media industry.
Along with Lai, who has been imprisoned since December 2020 and has already served 20 months, the Next Digital executive, Wong Wai-Keung, 61, was also convicted of fraud and must serve a 21-month sentence.
These events with Lai generated resentment and rejection by the Western community. The US government denounced these events as yet another move by the Chinese National Security Law against the broader deterioration of the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price issued a statement emphasizing that Washington “condemns the extremely unfair result of the latest sentence” against Lai.
“By any objective measure, this result is neither fair nor equitable. We once again call on the PRC authorities to respect freedom of expression, including that of the press in Hong Kong,” he added.
For her part, the Asia director of the New York-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch, Maya Wang, described Lai’s sentence as “retaliation against one of Hong Kong’s leading defenders of democracy and press freedom.” ”.
In another matter, in the next few days the judicial situation of Lai will have a new chapter. A national security trial involving him is expected to restart Tuesday. The delay stems from debate over whether foreign lawyers can take part in a Chinese national security case.
with Reuters
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