Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai, Martin Lee and Albert Ho to appeal protest convictions
- Media mogul was jailed for total of 14 months for his part in unauthorised assemblies
- Former Democratic Party chairmen will challenge their suspended sentences
Democratic Party founding chairman Martin Lee Chu-ming and former chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan, who were given suspended sentences for joining one of the rallies, have also lodged appeals.
A justice department spokesman confirmed it had received notices of appeal from the trio’s lawyers on Wednesday.
Lai, Lee and Ho were among 10 prominent opposition figures sentenced at West Kowloon Court last Friday for their roles in two unapproved marches during the civil unrest. Five of the group were jailed for between eight and 18 months, with the rest handed suspended sentences.
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US slams China after Hong Kong convicts Jimmy Lai, Martin Lee and five other protest leaders
Lai, who founded Next Digital and the Apple Daily newspaper, was convicted in one case of organising and taking part in an unauthorised assembly, by turning a lawful gathering of 300,000 people in Victoria Park into an illegal procession to Central on August 18, 2019.
Also found guilty were six former opposition lawmakers: Lee, Ho, Lee Cheuk-yan, Cyd Ho Sau-lan, “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung and Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee. Two other ex-legislators, Au Nok-hin and Leung Yiu-chung, pleaded guilty before going to trial.