Political prisoner trial developments in Hong Kong this week (15 April - 19 April)

Trial of Jimmy Lai

The long-anticipated trial of Jimmy Lai opened on Monday 18 December 2023. Jimmy Lai is a British citizen who founded the now-defunct newspaper Apple Daily, the largest pro-democracy newspaper in Hong Kong. Mr Lai faces three charges under Hong Kong’s Beijing-imposed National Security Law (NSL) which carries a maximum punishment of life in prison, and one charge for “conspiracy to publish seditious publications” under the colonial-era sedition law. A long-time critic of the Chinese Communist Party, Mr Lai is one of the most high-profile pro-democracy activists who have been arrested under the NSL. 

Chan Tsz-Wah testifies in the trial of Jimmy Lai

Following the testimony of key prosecution witness Andy Li, paralegal Chan Tsz-wah took the stand to testify against Jimmy Lai. 

Mr Chan is a paralegal who pleaded guilty with Andy Li for conspiring with Jimmy Lai regarding plans to leave Hong Kong, impose sanctions on China and Hong Kong, and to form a government-in-exile. Mr Chan is a former member of ‘Fight for Freedom. Stand With Hong Kong.’ (SWHK), and is currently remanded in custody.

During his testimony, Mr Chan said that Jimmy Lai shared his alleged “anti-China strategy” with him during a meeting in Taiwan in January 2020. Mr Chan detailed Mr Lai’s four-step plan which included disseminating information about Hong Kong overseas, appealing to international concerns and seeking condemnations, relaying messages from foreign officials to Hong Kongers to ensure that Hong Kongers knew “foreign governments had not abandoned or given up on them.” These are legal and acceptable activities in many open and free jurisdictions.

Mr Chan stated that Mr Lai regularly contacted foreign political advisers to influence China-related policies in their respective governments. Mr Chan also explained how Mr Lai asked him for support in contacting non-peaceful protesters to ask them to “restrain themselves” to preserve international support for Hong Kong. Mr Chan stated he had difficulty determining which protesters were non-peaceful and was ultimately unable to make contact.

Mr Chan also spoke to the crowdfunding activities of SWHK, including those for a global advertising campaign to bring “eye-catching protest scenes” from Hong Kong to the attention of the international stage during the G20 summit in Japan in 2019. Mr Chan said that Mr Lai was contacted through Martin Lee and Mark Simon regarding providing a “bridge loan” for the campaign, to which Mr Lai supported and donated HK$5 million (USD$638,313).

Other Development: Hong Kong student jailed over alleged money laundering linked to 2019 protest fund

Chinese University of Hong Kong student Yu Yan-yuk received a 16 month jail sentence for his links to a fund that supported pro-democracy protesters in 2019. Just 17 years old at the time, Yu’s bank account was used for the Spark Alliance, one of the largest crowdfunding organisations which financed bail applications for arrestees during the 2019 protests.

Four individuals, including Yu, were arrested in December 2019 for their links to the Spark Alliance and alleged money laundering activities. At the time, the Hong Kong Police Force froze approximately HK$70 million (USD$8.9 million) worth of the Alliance’s funds after “uncovering suspicious financial transactions”. The four individuals denied the politically motivated allegations, and were awaiting trial on bail since.

During his trial in March, the involvement of Yu’s bank account in the alleged offence was presented as evidence, including 23 deposits and 90 withdrawals related to the Alliance. There was no evidence that the four individuals financially benefited from the funds. Hong Kong Watch condemns the conviction of Yu, one of Hong Kong’s latest political prisoners for unjust charges related to the pro-democracy movement.

香港政治犯審訊每週簡報（2024年4月15日至19日）

黎智英案

黎智英的《國家安全法》案件經數度延期後，終於在2023年12月18日開審。黎智英是英國公民，創辦了香港最大型民主派報紙《蘋果日報》，《蘋果》現已停運。他被控「串謀勾結外國勢力」等三項《國安法》控罪，最高可判處終身監禁，另被控一項殖民時代煽動法下的「串謀發布煽動刊物」罪。黎智英長期批評中國共產黨，是因《國安法》被捕而備受關注的社運人士之一。

第五名控方證人陳梓華出庭作供

關鍵控方證人李宇軒完成作供後，第五名控方證人、律師助理陳梓華開始出庭指證黎智英。

陳供稱，2019年6月在Telegram「G20公海群組」得悉「G20」全球登報計劃需要一筆「bridge loan（過渡性貸款）」，於是透過李柱銘聯絡黎智英及其助手Mark Simon，最後獲黎一方答應墊支登報費用上限500萬港元。

陳續稱，2019年7月與黎首次見面時，黎要求他聯絡「勇武派」領袖，希望透過對話令對方克制，以免香港失去國際支持。陳表示難以確認對方是「勇武派」，最後向黎坦承無法聯絡。

陳披露2020年1月他連同「攬炒巴」劉祖廸等人與黎在台灣會面，席間黎分享「支爆」計劃。

其他事件

事件1：「星火同盟」學生義工被控洗黑錢罪成 判囚16個月