Press Freedom Campaign

Jimmy Lai, born 8 December 1947 (age 74), is a Hong Kong activist and pro-democracy advocate. He founded Next Digital, the largest listed media company in Hong Kong, and Apple Daily, a newspaper that was willing to criticise the Chinese regime and had covered the pro-democracy protests that was since discontinued in May 2021. He once described the National Security Law to be a “death knell for Hong Kong” that “will supersede or destroy our rule of law and destroy our international financial status.” He was also a frequent visitor to Washington, where he met officials, including former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, prompting Beijing to label him a “traitor.” Lai was awarded the “Freedom of Press” Award by Reporters Without Borders in December 2020.

Charges and Sentences

On 28 February 2020, Lai was arrested for two charges of “participating in an unauthorised assembly” on 18 August 2019 and 31 August 2019 respectively, and for allegedly intimidating an Oriental Daily reporter after the reporter took pictures of him in 2017. On 3 September 2020, Lai was found not guilty of the Oriental Daily criminal intimidation charge. On 1 April 2021, Lai was found guilty for the unauthorised assemblies and was sentenced to 14 months in prison on 16 April 2021: he received a 15-month sentence for the first charge, reduced by 3 months in mitigation, and an 8-month sentence for the second charge, of which he will serve only 2. District Court Judge Amanda Woodcock said even though the 18 August assembly was peaceful there was a "latent risk of possible violence" and that a deterrent sentence and "immediate imprisonment" was appropriate. 

On 18 April 2020, Lai was arrested for “incitement to knowingly take part in an unauthorized assembly” on 1 October 2019. He was one of the 15 high-profile pro-democracy figures arrested, including former chairs of the Democratic Party Martin Lee and Albert Ho. On 28 May 2021, he was given a new prison sentence of 14 months.

On June 11 2020, Lai was notified that he would be facing charges for “incitement to knowingly take part in an unauthorized assembly” for a Tiananmen Square vigil on 4 June 2020. The others notified included former legislators Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho Chun-yan. On 1 November 2021, the first day of hearing in the District Court, Lai pleaded not guilty. 

On 10 August 2020, Lai was arrested under the National Security Law for "collusion with a foreign country or external elements to endanger national security.” Other Next Digital employees were also arrested and police searched the homes of both Lai and his son. On the same day, 200 Hong Kong police officers proceeded to raid the Apple Daily headquarters and seized around 25 boxes of materials. Lai’s arrest and the raid were considered by former governor Chris Patten as the “most outrageous assault yet on what is left of Hong Kong’s free press.” On 11 December 2020, Lai was formally charged under the National Security Law for allegedly “colluding with a foreign country, or with external forces, to endanger national security”; “conspiring to commit collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security”; and “conspiring to do an act or a series of acts tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice.” The main evidence for the charge consisted of political views he had expressed on Twitter and in media interviews in which he requested foreign governments to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and Chinese officials. On 23 December 2020, Lai was granted bail by the High Court. On 31 December 2020, the Court of Final Appeal ordered Lai back to prison after the Department of Justice appealed his release on bail. On 9 February 2021, the Court of Final Appeal denied Lai’s bail and on 19 February 2021 it rejected a new bail application by Lai with judge Anthea Pang saying that there was not enough evidence Lai would refrain from acts endangering national security if released from prison.

On 2 December 2020, Lai reported to the police station as part of his bail condition for his August 2020 arrest related to the National Security Law violation but was arrested by police for alleged fraud, in that he and two Next Digital executives allegedly violated lease terms for a Next Digital office space. He was detained and denied bail on the fraud charge. On 6 May 2021, prosecutors asked for a judge designated for National Security Law cases to try Lai on his fraud charge, but the application was put on hold as the defence revealed it had yet to examine evidence submitted by the prosecution, prompting to judge to adjourn the case for another hearing ahead of next March’s scheduled trial.

On 16 February 2021, Lai was arrested in Stanley Prison for one count of “conspiracy with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security” under the National Security Law and one count of “conspiracy to assist an offender under the Crimes Ordinance.” For the first charge, he was accused of conspiring with other individuals including activists Andy Li and Finn Lau to request foreign countries to impose sanctions against Hong Kong and China between 1 July 2020 and 15 February 2021. For the latter charge, he was accused of conspiring with Li, Lau and others to assist Li’s escape to Taiwan in an attempt to obstruct his arrest and prosecution despite having knowledge or belief that Li had committed indictable crimes. Lai has yet to face trial for the charges, but Li had already pleaded guilty to conspiring with Lai to ask external forces to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China on 19 August 2021.

Lai has been remanded in jail since 31 December 2020 and is serving a total of 20 months imprisonment. 

Cheung Kim Hung, the Chief Executive of Next Digital, was arrested on August 10 2020 along with other Next Digital executives for offences including collusion with foreign powers and conspiracy to defraud. They were detained over the subletting of part of Next Digital’s offices to a consulting company, which the government alleged violated the terms of the media company’s land lease. He was arrested again on June 17 2021 during an Apple Daily raid conducted by more than 500 police officers. He was accused of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces along with other executives. He was denied bail in the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts. The first hearing will be held on February 24 in the High Court.

Wong Wai Keung, the chief administrative officer of Next Digital was arrested on August 10 2020 along with other Next Digital executives for offences including collusion with foreign powers and conspiracy to defraud. They were detained over the subletting of part of Next Digital’s offices to a consulting company, which the government alleged violated the terms of the media company’s land lease.

Royston Chow, the chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Next Digital Media was arrested on August 10 2020 along with other Next Digital executives for offences including collusion with foreign powers and conspiracy to defraud. They were detained over the subletting of part of Next Digital’s offices to a consulting company, which the government alleged violated the terms of the media company’s land lease. He was arrested again on June 17 2021 during an Apple Daily raid conducted by more than 500 police officers. He was accused of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces along with other executives. He was released on bail on June 18. 

Ryan Law, the chief editor of Apple Daily, was arrested on June 17 2021 during an Apple Daily raid conducted by more than 500 police officers. Hei was accused of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces along with other executives. He was denied bail in the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts. The first hearing will be held on 24 February in the High Court.

Cheung Chi-wai, the platform director of Apple Daily Digital, was arrested on June 17 2021 during an Apple Daily raid conducted by more than 500 police officers. Hei was accused of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces along with other executives. He was released on bail on June 18. 

Lam Man-chung, the former executive editor of Apple Daily, was arrested on July 21 2021. His house was searched on the same day. He had resigned from Apple daily after overseeing the publication of the newspaper’s last copy on June 24 2021. The first hearing will be held on 24 February in the High Court Court. 

Chan Pui-man, the former associate publisher of Apple Daily was arrested on June 16 2021 along with Next Digital executives and editors and was accused of conspiring with them to ask foreign powers. Chan was released on bail on June 18 after hours of detention. On July 21, police revoked her bail and she has been held in pre-trial detention at the Tai Lam Centre for Women since then. On October 12, Chan and other Next Digital executives appeared at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court, where their national security cases were adjourned to December 28. She pleaded not guilty. She faced a new charge of conspiracy to publish seditious publications alongside other Next Digital and Apple Daily executives. Her next hearing would be on February 24 2022 at the High Court, where the maximum penalty is life behind bars. On December 29, while she was detained, Chan was arrested on a separate case for being involved in publishing seditious publications for Stand News along with her husband Chung Pui-kuen, who was the editor in chief at Stand News.

Fung Wai-kong, the former senior editorial writer of Apple Daily, was believed to be leaving Hong Kong for the United Kingdom on June 27 2021 when he was arrested for conspiring to collude with foreign powers. The first hearing will be held on 24 February in the High Court Court.

Chung Pui-kuen, the former chief editor at Stand News, was arrested on December 29 2021 under the Crimes Ordinance for conspiring to publish seditious publications. He was brought to West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts the next day and was denied bail. 

Ronson Chan Ron Sing was the deputy assignment editor of the now shut down Stand News and is the chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association. On December 29 2021, Chan was amongst 6 Stand News senior members and board members who were arrested under the Crimes Ordinance for conspiring to publish seditious publications. Alongside the Stand News newsroom, Chan’s house was raided by the police. He was also taken by police for questioning, but released hours later. Chan is currently unemployed, if he fails to find another job within 3 months, he will not be able to serve as the chairman of HKJA.