Jimmy Lai trial: judge questions defence’s understanding of Hong Kong security law
Lai’s legal team argues strict literal reading of national security law prohibits sanction calls against authorities, not individual officials
A judge has argued that an interpretation of Hong Kong’s national security law by Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s defence team may not reflect Beijing’s true intentions, after the former media boss’ lawyers argued that the legislation did not penalise calls for sanctions against select Chinese officials.
Robert Pang Yiu-hung SC argued the law only banned attempts to instigate sanctions, blockades or other hostile responses from foreign states against central and local authorities, rather than individual officials.
He insisted the law only intended to safeguard national security instead of the interests of individuals and urged the three presiding High Court judges to avoid interpreting the law based on expedience.
Pang said that was not necessarily true because “at the time so much was going on”, but did not elaborate further.