Jimmy Lai Triumphs in Appeal Over 2022 Fraud Case in Hong Kong
On Thursday, the city’s Court of Appeal overturned the convictions of Lai and another individual accused of illegally subletting office space.
However, the 78-year-old remains in prison, having earlier received a 20-year sentence under Hong Kong’s national security law for allegedly colluding with foreign forces.
A British citizen and vocal critic of Beijing, Lai has been a central figure in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and has been detained since 2020.
Lai’s daughter, Claire, dismissed the appeal ruling as “nothing more than a PR move by the Hong Kong authorities.” She told the BBC, “No one should be fooled into thinking.. [it] is anything more. The rule of law is broken there, and my father is still unjustly imprisoned and will remain so for nearly 20 years unless urgent action is taken to secure his release.”
Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, who leads Lai’s international legal team, echoed this sentiment, saying the decision “changes nothing” and warning that Lai faces serious health risks in prison.
“No one should be fooled into thinking that this fraud appeal belatedly succeeding suggests the Hong Kong system operates fairly or justly,” she told a news agency.
Lai founded Apple Daily in 1995, a pro-democracy tabloid critical of Beijing, which grew to become Hong Kong’s largest paper of its kind before closing in 2021 following the arrest of Lai and key staff. The publication was central to the fraud trial, with prosecutors claiming Lai violated lease agreements by allowing his private consultancy to operate in office space rented by Apple Daily.
Wong Wai-keung, a former executive at Lai’s media company, was also convicted in the case and sentenced to 21 months in jail.
Observers note that Lai’s series of trials and continued detention exemplify the erosion of civil liberties in Hong Kong, particularly following the imposition of the Beijing-backed national security law.
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