Hong Kong’s High Court heard on Monday the mitigation plea of pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai, the final step before sentencing in a landmark national security trial that has drawn international condemnation and could see Lai jailed for life.
Last month, Lai, 78, was found guilty of being the “mastermind” on two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under a China-imposed national security law, and conspiracy to publish seditious material.
The verdict was criticised, opens new tab by Britain, the European Union, the United States and others. Hong Kong authorities say Lai received a fair trial and the national security law has restored stability to the city after mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.
A longstanding critic of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)and founder of the now shuttered pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, Lai is the highest-profile figure to face prosecution under Hong Kong’s years-long crackdown after the 2019 protests.
Hearings such as Monday’s give defence lawyers the chance to seek a more lenient jail term than the 10 years to life imprisonment Lai could face for his role in the collusion convictions, set out by guidelines in the security law.
Lai sat in the glass dock with eight trial defendants, including two key prosecution witnessess, Andy Li and Wayland Chan Tsz-wah, separated by around a dozen prison guards.
LAI’S HEALTH UNDER SCRUTINY
Lai did not submit a mitigation letter, his family told Reuters.
But his lawyer Robert Pang, told the court his client suffered from hypertension, diabetes and cataracts among his medical conditions, and solitary confinement for more than 1,800 days had imposed an “additional burden”.
“Every day he spends in prison will bring him that much closer to the end of his life,” said Pang, while adding such ailments were not life-threatening.
Prosecutor Anthony Chau cited a January 9 medical report that called Lai’s condition “stable”, however. He also disputed a defence claim that Lai had lost 11 kg (24 lbs) in prison, with a loss of only 0.8 kg (1.8 lb) recorded.
