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Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai jailed for more than five years on fraud charge | World News


Hong Kong pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai has been charged with fraud and sentenced to five years and nine months in prison.

The 75-year-old billionaire was convicted on Saturday of two counts of fraud for covering up the operations of his private firm, Dico Consultants Ltd, at the now-closed headquarters of the now-closed Apple Daily newspaper, which was reportedly is a violation of this company’s land. lease.

First arrested and charged in December 2020, the harsh China critic has served 20 months for the crime illegally gathered during large-scale pro-democracy protests in 2019. Nine others served prison sentences or suspended sentences.

Lai is the head of Next Digital, the parent company of Apple Daily that was shut down in June 2021 following a police raid. Wong Wai-keung, 61, another Next Digital executive, was found guilty of fraud and sentenced to 21 months in prison.

A ruling written by District Court Judge Stanley Chan said Lai had “acted under the protection of a media organisation”. He added that prosecuting a media mogul “doesn’t equate to an attack on press freedom”.

Jimmy Lai

The prosecution said the newspaper could only be used for “publishing and printing” without the operator’s prior approval, due to its rental conditions on a government property. Admitting many mistakes in the case, Lai was given a 3-month sentence reduction.

Governments in the west, including USAexpressed concern about Lai’s plight and condemned what it called a more serious decline in the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms under the National Security Law imposed by China.

“Beijing’s complicated criminal case against Jimmy Lai is a revenge against a leading democracy and media freedom advocate in Hong Kong,” said Maya Wang, Asia regional director of the Foundation. New York-based Human Rights Watch, calling for Lai’s release.

Derek Chan, Lai’s lawyer, urged the judge to consider Lai’s age and contributions to the Hong Kong media industry.

daily apple
Picture:
Apple Daily headquarters

A separate, landmark national security trial involving Lai is scheduled to resume on Tuesday.

It was delayed while Beijing decided on the contentious issue of whether foreign lawyers, including Lai’s British lawyer, Timothy Owen, should be allowed to work on national security cases. family or not.

Lai faces a maximum life sentence for two counts of conspiring to collude with a foreign country or factors, and one count of colluding with a foreign force under national security laws.

He also faces sedition charges related to the Apple Daily newspaper.

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