Hong Kong prosecutors hit tycoon Jimmy Lai, 6 former Apple Daily employees with fresh sedition charge
- The new charge alleges that the defendants conspired to print, publish, sell, offer for sale, distribute, display or reproduce seditious publications
- All seven defendants were already behind bars awaiting trial under the national security law
Prosecutors on Tuesday added the fresh count to the seven defendants’ indictment as they returned to West Kowloon Court for another pretrial hearing before their case is transferred to the higher Court of First Instance to be heard.
The new charge under the Crimes Ordinance alleges that the defendants conspired to print, publish, sell, offer for sale, distribute, display or reproduce seditious publications between April 1, 2019 and June 24 of this year, the date of Apple Daily’s final edition.
They were accused of doing so with the intent to “raise discontent or disaffection” among the city’s inhabitants, “incite persons to violence”, “counsel disobedience to law or to any lawful order”, or “bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection” against the central authorities, the Hong Kong government or the administration of justice.
The six former employees are editor-in-chief Ryan Law Wai-kwong, publisher Cheung Kim-hung, executive editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung, associate publisher Chan Pui-man, and editorial writers Fung Wai-kwong and Yeung Ching-kee.
The latest allegations also target three affiliated companies – the tabloid-style Apple Daily, Apple Daily Printing and AD Internet – despite the winding up of their parent company, Next Digital, earlier this month.
