Jimmy Lai trial: Hong Kong judge dismisses freedom of expression defence
Madam Justice Esther Toh says fundamental rights have their limits, citing crackdowns on pro-Palestinian protests in UK and US
A protracted debate at West Kowloon Court on the proper reading of Lai’s allegedly offensive statements took a turn on Friday when one of three presiding High Court judges hit out at lawyers’ “la-di-da” defence strategy that drew support from legal safeguards for fundamental rights.
Pressing on with his closing submissions, defence lawyer Robert Pang Yiu-hung SC argued that his 77-year-old client was entitled to his views that Beijing was trying to “eliminate” the Hong Kong people, and that the country would change the world if the world did not change it.
“Hoping for a change of government is not illegal, because the government can change,” he said.