One Media Hong Kong founder Lai Chi-ying (left) leaves the Hong Kong High Court after being released on bail. (December 23, 2020)
Hong Kong media mogul Lai Chi-ying was granted bail by the Hong Kong High Court on Wednesday (Dec. 23). A day later the Hong Kong government’s Department of Justice filed an appeal with the Court of Final Appeal.
The Apple Daily reported Thursday that the Department of Justice formally filed an appeal document marked “URGENT” on the same day. The report said the Department of Justice also applied for an interim order to remand Lai Chi-ying in custody pending the granting of leave to appeal. The Department of Justice also asked the Court of Final Appeal to hold an urgent hearing, including a public holiday. However, a date for the hearing has not yet been announced.
Former Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said in a Facebook post on Wednesday that “the judge got it wrong again,” citing Hong Kong high school student Tsang Chi-kin as an example, saying “the chances of Lai Chi-ying absconding are extremely high.
He was later charged with rioting and assaulting a police officer after he was shot in the chest by police during a demonstration on Oct. 1 last year. The case was scheduled to be re-arraigned in the District Court on December 22, but Tsang Chi-kin, who is on bail, has not shown up, and the court finally issued an arrest warrant at the request of the prosecution. The British organization Friends of Hong Kong announced on Dec. 22 that Tsang and others had left Hong Kong and were in “exile.
The 73-year-old founder of Next Media, Lai Chi-ying, again applied for bail at the Hong Kong High Court on Wednesday, which was granted after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defense by Justice Lee Yun-teng, an appointed judge under the National Security Law. However, the bail conditions were quite harsh. The court required him to post bail in the amount of HK$10 million and to have three other persons to guarantee his bail, each paying HK$100,000. The court also required Lai Chi-ying to surrender his travel documents and not to leave his residence.
The court stipulated that while on bail, Lai Chi-ying is not allowed to request foreign sanctions against Hong Kong and China, either directly or indirectly; meet with foreign officials; give interviews of any kind, including television, radio or online programs; or publish articles and post information on the Internet and social media, etc. Lai Chi-ying is required to report to the police station three times a week. The court announced that Lai Chi-ying’s case will be heard on April 16 next year.
After Lai was granted bail by the Hong Kong High Court on Wednesday, his Twitter account, which speaks out for democracy in Hong Kong, was reportedly deactivated on Thursday and all posts disappeared. His friends stressed that Lai Chi-ying would not flee, even at the cost of his freedom.
Lai was denied bail at least twice before he was released on bail Wednesday. The company has been charged with violating the Hong Kong version of the National Security Law on Dec. 11 and is suspected of “colluding with foreign powers.” He was denied bail on Dec. 12 by Judge So Wai-tak, a judge appointed under the National Security Law. Lai Chi-ying was taken into custody by the Hong Kong police in early December for “fraud” and was also denied bail at the time.
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