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The media tycoon has been sentenced to 14 months in prison for participating in an unauthorized gathering.
The jailed Hong Kong media tycoon and well-known democracy supporter Li Zhiying is expected to be jailed for his role in the demonstrations on October 1, 2019, when pro-democracy protests swept Hong Kong.
This month, Lai and nine other activists admitted to organizing unauthorized gatherings. The nine people include activists Li Zhuoren, Chen Feige and Liang Guoxiong, who is known as Long Hair in Hong Kong.
They are expected to be sentenced on Friday.
According to the National Security Law, he was refused bail in a separate trial and has been in prison since December.
According to China’s new legislation for protests in 2020, he faces three charges, including suspected collusion with foreign countries.
Lai’s repeated arrests have aroused criticism from Western governments and international human rights organizations, who expressed concern about the reduction of freedoms in this semi-autonomous territory, including freedom of speech and assembly.
“Your Honor, I have been fighting for China’s democratic reforms for more than 40 years,” Li told the court at a hearing this week. “This is my unrequited love, the love for my country with such a heavy heart.”
Beijing regards him as a traitor and anti-China agitator.
China stated that the broadly worded security law penalizes any acts of subversion, secession, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces that Beijing considers to be punishable by life imprisonment, and is essential to the restoration of stability and prosperity.
Earlier this month, the authorities Frozen assets Including bank accounts and his 71.26% stake in media publisher Next Digital.
The Chief Security Officer of Hong Kong wrote to Lai He HSBC and Citibank branches this month Threatening bankers to have any transactions with billionaire accounts in the city, up to seven years in prisonAccording to documents seen by Reuters.
A financial adviser to Lai said these measures could jeopardize any attempts by the tycoon to bring overseas assets back home and support Next Digital’s Apple Daily tabloid, which is a staunch critic of the government.
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