by Richard Sanders, Staff Writer
During his court testimony yesterday, Jimmy Lai, the talkative and assertive Hong Kong media mogul, appeared to retain his commanding presence, even after spending most of the past four years in prison. At 76, he took the stand in a trial related to allegations of collusion with foreign forces, breaking his silence from five prior trials linked to his involvement in the now-dismantled democracy movement.
Lai’s case is among the most notable prosecuted under the National Security Law that Beijing imposed in 2020, prompting Western nations and human rights advocates to call for his release, citing concerns about his health.
Arriving at the Court of Final Appeal in a prison van, Lai appeared healthy and in good spirits, smiling as he was escorted by four prison officers. Wearing thick-rimmed glasses and a green sweater, he waved to onlookers upon entering the courtroom.
From the outset of his testimony, Lai was assertive, explaining that he entered the media industry to help deliver information and promote freedom. He characterized his outlets as consistently supportive of liberty, identifying himself as both a businessman and a social activist.
Demonstrating his accustomed authority, he responded defensively when questioned about his retirement from his media company, Next Digital Ltd., after 2014. “I’m the boss; if I want to retire, I can retire,” he stated.
Despite this, he expressed a profound sense of duty toward his media outlets, justifying his decision to assume the role of executive chairman a month before the security law’s enactment. “As an owner, it’s right for me to take responsibility for the company if anything happens,” he remarked.
Throughout the day, Lai was quick and confident in his responses, often interjecting before his defense attorney finished asking questions. Much of the afternoon focused on his interactions with executives from the now-defunct Apple Daily, several of whom have testified against him.
When confronted with claims from former Apple Daily editorial writer Yeung Ching-kee that he had become more radicalized after 2014, Lai dismissed the assertion. “I don’t know how he got that impression. I rarely talked to him… If I was radical, I was radical all along,” he stated.
He denied imposing a “seditious” editorial direction at his outlets, asserting that while he has a strong personality, he did not enforce management decisions aggressively. Regarding claims of making donations to U.S. organizations to sway actions against China or Hong Kong, he scoffed at the notion, stating, “My donation is too small to be even mentioned, let alone influence,” and emphasized he had never contributed to a U.S. political party.
Lai’s wife and daughter were present in the courtroom, accompanied by retired Cardinal Joseph Zen, a prominent Catholic figure in Asia currently under investigation under the security law. Throughout his testimony, Lai occasionally glanced at them, sitting just a few meters away. As the court session concluded, he waved and blew them a kiss while leaving the witness stand.
