Lai Chi-ying was handcuffed and chained at the waist while being taken to the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court for arraignment by Correctional Services Department officers in a prison van.
One Media founder Lai Chi-ying was earlier charged by the Hong Kong police with “colluding with foreign countries or forces outside the country to endanger national security”, Saturday (12) morning in the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court arraignment, the case by the National Security Law designated judge, President Judge So Wai-tak, the case was adjourned to April 16 next year for re-interrogation, Lai Chi-ying was not allowed bail, continue to return to The scabbard. The police listed a number of interviews and articles written by Lai Chi-ying before the “Hong Kong National Security Law” came into effect, and the “National Security Law” states that the provisions without retroactive effect are now in doubt. The case of Lai Chi-ying has received widespread international attention, with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo both tweeting about Lai Chi-ying’s case, with Pence describing Lai Chi-ying as a “hero”.
During the police charge, the police listed the contents of Lai’s interviews and articles before the National Security Law came into effect, saying that he had been asking foreign countries to boycott Hong Kong and the Chinese government. In particular, the police cited the Twitter account opened by Lai Chi-ying in May this year, accusing him of expressing opinions and tracking foreign dignitaries, and the English version of the Apple Daily newspaper launched since June this year also became the police charge information.
Article 39 of the National Security Law of Hong Kong expressly provides that acts committed after the implementation of the National Security Law are subject to conviction and punishment under this law, i.e. without retroactive effect. However, the police still cited Lai’s conduct before the NSA came into force as part of the charges, including Lai’s call for a boycott of Hong Kong and the Chinese government by foreign countries or forces outside of Hong Kong during his anti-amendment campaign in June 2019, and his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on July 8, 2019, as cited by the police. During the visit, Lai Chi-ying had suggested to Pompeo that sanctions be imposed on Hong Kong and mainland Chinese leaders who had a role in suppressing and combating the anti-amendment movement.
The case of Lai Chi-ying has received widespread international attention. Pence mentioned in the article that the Hong Kong government’s charging of Lai Chi-ying under the National Security Law of Hong Kong “is an insult to freedom-loving people everywhere,” and that “Lai Chi-ying is a hero, inspired by his stand for democracy and the rights originally granted to Hong Kong people. Pence also added the hashtag “#FreeJimmyLai” to the text.
Pompeo said in the article that Lai Chi-ying was prosecuted by the Hong Kong police under the National Security Law, which is a “mockery of justice”. He said Lai’s only “crime” was “telling the truth about the Chinese Communist Party’s authoritarianism and fear of freedom.” Pompeo called for “the charges to be dropped and for Li Zhiying to be released immediately.”
Photos taken by Reuters show the 73-year-old Lai Chi-ying, handcuffed and chained at the waist, being escorted by two Correctional Services Department officers to the West Kowloon Magistrate’s Court in a prison van designed to transport Class A felons, commonly known as the “Iron Dragon,” for arraignment. The prosecution is represented by Senior Assistant Crown Prosecutor Chow Tin-hang, while Lai Chi-ying is represented by senior barrister Tang Lok-kan.
The police said the case for further investigation, will be on Lai Chi-ying’s social networking site Twitter account search evidence, including the review of over a thousand messages and messages, as well as related video interviews.
Lai Chi-ying was earlier charged with fraud on remand. Later, Lai was charged with requesting a foreign state or organization or person in Hong Kong to impose sanctions, blockade or take other hostile action against the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or the People’s Republic of China between July 1 and December 1, 2020.
(Original title: Lai Chi-ying was charged with violating the National Security Law to continue to return scabbard police listed in the “National Security Law” before the entry into force of the activity does not have retroactive effect provisions are in doubt)
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