What foreign collusion charges does Jimmy Lai face?

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Jimmy Lai Faces Foreign Collusion Charges for Allegedly Lobbying Western Nations to Impose Sanctions

Lawyers for Jimmy Lai are presenting their closing arguments in his national security trial, where the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper faces charges of foreign collusion. Authorities accuse the 77-year-old media mogul of utilising various platforms to advocate for Western nations to implement sanctions against China and Hong Kong. These charges stem from the national security law enacted by Beijing in 2020, following widespread pro-democracy protests in the city the previous year.
Defence Argues for Freedom of Expression and Policy Persuasion

The defence contends that advocating for freedom of expression, human rights, and attempting to persuade a government to alter its policies are not unlawful acts. Lawyer Robert Pang asserted in court that it is not wrong to support these principles or to hold dissenting views towards an administration or country. He argued that the prosecution's characterisation of Apple Daily as a neutral defender of Hong Kong's core values is misleading.
Prosecution Alleges Anti-Communist Stance and Glorification of Violence

Conversely, the prosecution described Lai's testimony as "not credible" and maintained that both Lai and Apple Daily harboured anti-communist sentiments for many years. Prosecutor Anthony Chau accused Lai of "glorifying violence, mutual destruction and martyrdom against the (Chinese Communist Party) regime." The prosecution presented communications allegedly linking Lai to US political figures and outlining a plan to lobby for Western sanctions against China and Hong Kong around the time of the 2019 protests.
Accusations of Betraying National Interests

The prosecution concluded its case by stating that Lai was "clearly a betrayer of national interests." The foreign collusion offence with which Lai is charged carries a potential sentence of life imprisonment. In addition to these charges, Lai is also accused of "seditious publication" concerning 161 articles, including opinion pieces bearing his byline. The defence has argued these are factual reports and represent a small portion of the newspaper's overall output.

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What foreign collusion charges does Jimmy Lai face?

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