Jimmy Lai's Trial Finally Begins

Lai has been remanded in custody for more than 1,100 days

All eyes are on West Kowloon Law Courts today as media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying's national security law case is finally underway after numerous postponements.

Many people came out to witness the court case, Lai's wife Teresa arrived along with one of their sons; retired Catholic leader Joseph Zen, and pro-democracy politician Emily Lau Wai-hing. 

Grandma Wong being escorted by police

Members of the public were also keen to watch the proceedings first hand. A 29-year-old who gave her name as JC was first in line, having braved the chilly weather in front of the court since 10pm the night before, while the second person in line, a man surnamed Sung arrived at 4am.

Staff from the consulates of New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, Canada and the United Kingdom were on hand to observe the proceedings as well.

Some people were shocked to see Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung had 1,000 police officers around the court house to prevent any disruption. But the case has been so heavily advertised that the government wants to have a massive show of force for such a high-profile case. 

Grandma Wong was in front of the court house with her UK flag screaming, "Support Jimmy Lai! Support Apple Daily!" The police tried to move her across the street in a bid to remove her as a distraction, but the media followed.

Already the defense has launched the argument that the sedition charge against Lai should be dismissed as it was laid after the permitted prosecution time frame. Senior Counsel Robert Pang Yiu-hung argued the sedition charge was under a colonial-era law, and not the national security law. 

Members of the public were keen to watch trial

Pang said the prosecution had passed the time limit for charging Lai, as the colonial-era sedition law states charges must be laid within six months of the alleged offense, which in this case would be from April 1, 2019 to June 24, 2021.

As a result this issue must be resolved before the case can continue. Three judges appointed by the chief executive are presiding over the case: Madam Justices Esther Toh Lye-ping, Susana D'Alamada Remedios, and Mr Justice Alex Lee Wan-tung.

Meanwhile in the last few weeks, Lai's son Sebastien has been rallying politicians, in particular Foreign Secretary David Cameron, lobbying them to push for his father's release, as he is a British citizen.

1,000 Days in Solitary Confinement

Lai's son Sebastien has been traveling around to rally support

One thousand days in jail. Most of us have no idea what that is like, but that is how long Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has been behind bars. 

He was supposed to go on trial earlier this week for his alleged offences against national security and sedition, but it has been now further postponed to December 18. This original trial was supposed to start December 1, 2022, then to December 13 of the same year, then to September this year and now December.

By that point he will have been in solitary confinement for three years before the trial has even begun.

Lai has been in jail since December 2022

Meanwhile his son Sebastien has been touring around trying to drum up support. He has pleaded in Britain for government officials to take up Lai's case as he is a British citizen, but to no avail; they have rebuffed his requests for meetings.

Sebastien Lai has attended various journalism conferences in Europe talking about his father and the need to defend freedom of the press. For this he has received sympathetic ears from editors and journalists, but not many understand the complex situation in Hong Kong and the changes that have happened there.

At 28-years-old, Sebastien Lai is doing his best to publicise his father's case, but has now raised fears of his father's health.

"I don't want to see my father die in jail. He's 75, he's in prison, he does risk just dying. It is very worrying," he said.

Lai's son has seen pictures of his father taken by an Associated Press photographer, when the Hong Kong businessman was led out by guards to have his daily exercise in the maximum-security prison.

Sebastien worried about his father's health

"Some part of me was happy because he's still the same... [but] it also reminded me of his age," Sebastien Lai said. "You never know what's going to happen tomorrow at that age."

However, his father is known to have a strong sense of conviction and belief in God. 

One only wonders how he manages to pass the time and retain his sanity...

Star Prisoner get Paparazzi Treatment

AP has captured Lai's movements in Stanley Prison

The Associated Press has released an exclusive series of pictures documenting Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying at Stanley Prison.

The 75-year-old is in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day, and is allowed 50 minutes of exercise per day -- by himself. This punishment is for a Category A prisoner, a status usually reserved for those who have committed serious crimes like murder.

In the pictures Lai wears prison-mandated short-sleeved shirt, shorts and his own sandals. He looks like he has lost some weight. The government is making it harder for the media to take pictures of inmates, even during court appearances, where the prisoners must go through a covered walkway to and from the prison vehicle.

Lai is in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day

Lai is a British national, who is accused of colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security, and conspiring to call for sanctions or blockades against Hong Kong or China. He also faces a charge of conspiracy to print seditious publications under a colonial-era law.

He was scheduled to go to trial last December, but it was postponed to next month, while the Hong Kong government appealed to Beijing to block his attempt to hire a British defense lawyer.

Each month, Lai is allowed two 30-minute visits by relatives or friends where they are separated by a piece of glass and they speak on a phone.

Meanwhile his son Sebastien is traveling to democratic countries, advocating for his father's release. Even though he is not in Hong Kong, Sebastien is very cautious about his movements.

"My father is in prison because he spoke truth to power for decades," Sebastien said in May in a statement to a US government panel, called the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.

Lee doesn't speak to reporters after verdict

"He is still speaking truth to power and refusing to be silenced, even though he has lost everything and he may die in prison," he said. "I am very proud to be his son."

How his father, a diabetic who is also suffering from high blood pressure continues to keep his head up high is a result of his strong will and Christian faith.

Today Lai and six others were cleared of instigating the 2019 protests, though their convictions and sentences are upheld. 

The others are barristers Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee, Martin Lee Chu-ming, labour activists, Lee Cheuk-yan, Leung Kwok-hung, and former lawmakers Cyd Ho Sau-lan and Albert Ho Chun-yan.