Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai, who was charged Friday under a controversial national security law, was denied bail.
Lai, 73, has been in custody since he was arrested earlier this month regarding allegations of fraud. He was denied bail for those charges as well. The offices of the Apple Daily, a tabloid-style and pro-democracy newspaper run by Lai that is critical of China, were also raided following the arrest.
According to the Apple Daily, Lai’s case was adjourned until April 16.
The national security law, implemented in late June, was met with both domestic and international criticism. The law criminalizes acts of subversion, secession, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces, and the imprecise language of the law has been used by pro-China authorities to crack down on dissidents in the city. The text of the law was not published until after it had already been imposed by fiat, according to NPR.
The charges against Lai allege that he requested a foreign country, group, or individual to “impose sanctions or blockade, or engage in other hostile activities,” against the regional Hong Kong government and China, according to Lai’s paper. It reported that the allegations cited “a number of foreign politicians that followed Lai on Twitter” and a number of interviews Lai participated in before he was arrested.
Lai has used his Twitter account in the past to acknowledge the 1989 Tienanmen Square crackdown in Beijing and encourage his followers to resist the control the Chinese Communist Party exerts over Hong Kong.
“Yes, HK is seriously ill,” Lai wrote in one tweet. “Our strong will to persist is the only cure. We can’t be afraid. We must fight on!
In another tweet, Lai referred to the national security law as “de facto martial law,” arguing that the Communist Party treats Hong Kongers as “aliens.”
NSL is de facto martial law. But martial law is temporary and imposed on occupied territory. NSL is permanent and used on people of China territory. Obviously CCP treat us HKers as “aliens. ” https://t.co/EFs5C9RL1e
— Jimmy Lai (@JimmyLaiApple) November 30, 2020
After the charges against Lai were announced, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticized the law and voiced his support for Lai.
“Hong Kong’s National Security Law makes a mockery of justice,” Pompeo tweeted. “@JimmyLaiApple’s only ‘crime’ is speaking the truth about the Chinese Communist Party’s authoritarianism and fear of freedom. Charges should be dropped and he should be released immediately.”
Hong Kong’s National Security Law makes a mockery of justice. @JimmyLaiApple’s only “crime” is speaking the truth about the Chinese Communist Party’s authoritarianism and fear of freedom. Charges should be dropped and he should be released immediately.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) December 12, 2020
