A Hong Kong court on Friday (Dec 22) rejected a bid by the legal team for pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai to have a sedition charge against him dropped, in a closely watched national security trial.
Lai, 76, the founder of the now-shuttered pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, was charged with conspiracy to publish seditious publications under a colonial-era sedition law.
Lai also faces two charges under a China-imposed national security law of conspiring to collude with foreign forces, which could see him jailed for life. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
His lawyers earlier argued that the sedition charge should be tossed out as the prosecution was started too late, contrary to Hong Kong criminal procedure.
“We are of the view the charge is not time-barred, so the application of the defence must fail,” Judge Esther Toh ruled on Friday morning.
The case has been adjourned to Jan 2, when Lai is expected to make his formal plea to the charges.
Agencies
