Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai ‘mastermind’ behind seditious Apple Daily articles portraying central government as ‘totalitarian regime’, prosecutors allege in national security trial
- Prosecutors say media mogul Jimmy Lai penned seditious pieces calling for overthrow of mainland China’s ‘totalitarian regime’ and advocating US trade war
- Lai’s editorial direction at now-closed Apple Daily tabloid in spotlight on fifth day of high-profile trial
On the fifth day of the high-profile trial at West Kowloon Court, the prosecution submitted 31 examples of allegedly seditious content published by the newspaper between June 2019 and January 2020 during the social unrest sparked by a now-withdrawn extradition bill and before the imposition of the national security law.
Jimmy Lai called for ‘draconian’ sanctions against Beijing, Hong Kong court hears
The allegedly seditious content includes commentaries, advertisements and news articles about topics ranging from local authorities’ handling of the protests, the Covid-19 epidemic and issues relating to Taiwan.
Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Anthony Chau Tin-hang argued the content was published as a result of actions taken by the media mogul, who was an “instrumental” figure in the Apple Daily newsroom.
The examples included a commentary titled “Defending morality and resisting totalitarianism is the responsibility of everyone in the world”, published January 26, 2020, which prosecutors said showed Lai’s approval of efforts by then United States president Donald Trump to contain China’s rise through a trade war.
“The new Cold War, ignited by a Trump-led opposition to the Chinese Community Party’s tough stance, is a global moral wake-up call to the spread of China’s totalitarianism,” he wrote.
“The ongoing rights movement in Hong Kong against China’s totalitarianism is the result of Emperor Xi [Jinping]’s strongman leadership. It’s time for the Chinese people to stand up and say ‘no’!”
Lai wrote in another piece that Taiwan was in a stronger position to resist the “oppressive” mainland Chinese authorities that he said sought to control the public by “electronic means and totalitarian machines”.
“In the dictionary of the Chinese Communist Party, human beings have no freedom, rule of law, human rights and dignity,” he said in the commentary published on December 29, 2019. “What we need to overcome is the fear of its regime.”
Prosecutors also cited articles he penned during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, which they claimed were seditious.
In one titled “The plague of Wuhan, the death knell of the Chinese Communist Party”, Lai said the spread of infections could be attributed to Xi’s totalitarian regime, which suppressed the free flow of information. He wrote that the pandemic might “bring hope” to Chinese residents looking to overthrow authorities.
“People’s power against the government is swelling due to social media. It’s time for them to be masters of their own home,” he said. “Covid might be a beam of light for Chinese people at the end of a dark tunnel.”
Jimmy Lai helped instigate hostile acts against Beijing, Hong Kong court hears
Other examples submitted included an Apple Daily article that quoted opposition activist Ventus Lau Wing-hong’s appeals to people to join rallies held in 22 cities across the world on January 19, 2020, to call for democratic reforms, “or else sanctions should be imposed by various governments”.
Prosecutors said a news feature titled “Save our own comrades” reporting a video clip of protesters kicking police officers was regarded as instructional material by youngsters and had advocated the use of violence in rallies.
Lai was also accused of promoting hatred by labelling police as “black cops” in an advertisement published on October 18, 2019, which showed images of officers accompanied by the tagline: “Turn black at once, or turn black gradually. Everything has turned black!”
The trial will continue on Thursday, with the prosecution expected to present content published in Apple Daily as evidence of Lai’s offences.
