Hong Kong’s high-profile national security trial of media tycoon Jimmy Lai has faced another delay due to concerns over his health.
The 77-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper is charged with foreign collusion under Hong Kong’s national security law, enacted by Beijing in 2020 following pro-democracy protests in 2019.
Lai, a British citizen, has been detained since December 2020, reportedly in solitary confinement, raising ongoing concerns about his well-being.
His trial, which began in December 2023, has drawn global scrutiny as a test of press freedom and judicial independence in Hong Kong.
The trial’s closing arguments, initially set for Thursday, were first postponed due to a typhoon sweeping through Hong Kong.
On Friday, as the court resumed, Lai’s defense lawyer, Robert Pang, reported that Lai experienced heart palpitations and a sensation of “collapsing.”
The three-judge panel, led by Judge Esther Toh, adjourned the case until Monday to allow prison authorities to provide Lai with a wearable heart monitor and medication.
Lai appeared noticeably thinner in court, prompting further concerns from his legal team and his son, Sebastien, who has repeatedly called for urgent action to secure his father’s release.
Lai faces serious charges, including foreign collusion, which carries a potential life sentence, and seditious publication related to 161 op-eds published under his name.
The case has sparked international outcry, with rights groups like the Committee to Protect Journalists stating, “the world is watching how Hong Kong treats its journalists.”
US President Donald Trump has expressed intent to advocate for Lai, while the Hong Kong government has rejected external criticism, calling it “slanderous remarks.”
Sebastien Lai has urged global leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, to intervene, emphasizing, “I don’t want my father to die in jail.”
Lai, once a successful entrepreneur who built a clothing empire before founding Apple Daily, has long been a vocal critic of Beijing, making him a polarizing figure.
His supporters view him as a champion of democracy, while critics label him a traitor threatening China’s national security.
Apple Daily was forced to close in 2021 following police raids and arrests of its senior editors.
The trial’s outcome is seen as a critical indicator of Hong Kong’s future as a hub for free expression and business.