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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/20/jimmy-lai-unwavering-intent-to-solicit-foreign-sanctions-hong-kong-court-told>
"A lawyer for Jimmy Lai has argued that it is not wrong to support freedom of
expression, as he began his final argument in the prominent Hong Kong democracy
activist and newspaper founder’s landmark national security trial.
The barrister Robert Pang is representing Lai in his fight against charges of
colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiring with
others to issue seditious publications. Lai, 77, faces up to life in prison if
convicted under a national security law imposed by Beijing after
anti-government protests in 2019.
“It is not wrong to support freedom of expression. It is not wrong to support
human rights,” Pang told the three-judge panel, which is expected to deliver a
verdict later this year, once this current round of final legal submissions is
concluded after about a week.
“It is not wrong to try to persuade the government to change its policy. Nor is
it wrong not to love a particular administration or even the country, because …
you can’t force someone to think in one way or another,” Pang added.
One of the judges, Esther Toh, said that this was not what the prosecution
argued. “It’s not wrong not to love the government, but if you do that by
certain nefarious means, then it’s wrong,” Toh said."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
