Hong Kong national security law: media tycoon Jimmy Lai denied bail, will remain in custody while facing raft of charges
- The 73-year-old founder of the Next Digital media group and the tabloid-style Apple Daily newspaper has spent 68 days behind bars
- Lai is facing eight separate charges, including under the Beijing-imposed national security law, in six cases
The 73-year-old founder of the Next Digital media group and the tabloid-style Apple Daily newspaper has spent 68 days behind bars, and will remain in custody while he stands trial over his alleged involvement in an unauthorised assembly during 2019’s social unrest.
Lai appeared before Madam Justice Anthea Pang Po-kam for a second bail review on Thursday, after the Court of Final Appeal last week held that a different High Court judge had misinterpreted the security law’s stringent threshold for granting temporary release.
Pang, who was handpicked by city leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to oversee security law proceedings, said she would hand down a written ruling in due course to explain her decision to refuse Lai’s application.
Lai, wearing a khaki jacket, made a heart-shaped hand gesture to his family and relatives in the public gallery and waved goodbye to them before leaving the courtroom.