HKSAR Government strongly condemns anti-China organisation and foreign media for misleading public and whitewashing Lai Chee-ying
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A spokesman for the HKSAR Government said, "As guaranteed by the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights, all defendants charged with a criminal offence shall have the right to a fair trial by the Judiciary exercising independent judicial power. The courts of the HKSAR shall exercise judicial power independently, free from any interference. In the Lai Chee-ying case, the court has conducted 156 days of public hearings, considered up to 2 220 pieces of evidence, over 80 000 pages of documents, and a total of over 1 000 pages of written submissions from all parties, etc. Lai Chee-ying himself even testified in court for 52 days. These are the testaments to the fact that Lai Chee-ying and other defendants were found guilty only after a fair trial. The suggestion that any persons or organisations with certain backgrounds should be immune from legal sanctions for their illegal acts and activities is tantamount to granting such persons privileges to break the law and is totally contrary to the spirit of the rule of law.
"Some media organisations and organisations that claim to represent journalists have conflated the criminal acts in the Lai Chee-Ying case with freedom of the press, and have even played up different cases to vilify the HKSAR, with the purpose of misleading the public and defaming the HKSAR's human rights and rule of law. In fact, the Lai Chee-ying case has nothing to do with freedom of the press at all. Over the years, the defendants were using journalism as a guise to commit acts that brought harm to our country and Hong Kong. The public trial of this case revealed Lai Chee-ying's close management and hands-on control of the editorial direction of Apple Daily. He had also repeatedly colluded with foreign forces to beg for sanctions and engaged in hostile activities against the Central Government and the HKSAR Government. The court clearly pointed out that Lai Chee-ying's only intent, whether pre or post Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL), was to seek the downfall of the Communist Party of China, even though the ultimate cost was the sacrifice of the interests of the people of the People's Republic of China and the HKSAR.
"The court clearly pointed out in the reasons for verdict that Lai Chee-ying was not on trial for his political views or beliefs. The court's publicly released reasons for verdict and sentence have meticulously explained the court's analysis of the relevant legal principles and evidence, as well as the reasons of the conviction and sentencing of Lai Chee-ying and the three defendant companies, which are well-founded and reasoned, fully demonstrating that the court has made its decision on the case strictly in accordance with the law and evidence, free from any interference, and absolutely free of any political considerations. External forces with ulterior motives, when being faced with these ironclad facts, continue to distort the truth and launch maliciously attack. The HKSAR Government must again firmly refute these claims to set the record straight."
The spokesman stressed, "Hong Kong citizens enjoy freedom of the press and freedom of speech as protected under the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights. In fact, the HKNSL and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security. The rights and freedoms, including the freedoms of the press, of speech and of publication, enjoyed by Hong Kong people under the Basic Law and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as applied to the HKSAR, are protected in accordance with the law.
"Since the implementation of the HKNSL and the SNSO, the media landscape in Hong Kong has remained vibrant. However, some people with ulterior motives deliberately fabricated facts about freedom of the press and speech in Hong Kong. As the funding of Reporters Without Borders' funding has largely come from the European Union, the United States (US) State Department and other European governments, it serves as a tool for anti-China forces for the US and some western countries. The so-called "rankings" lack credibility which the HKSAR Government disregards."
The spokesperson reiterated, "The HKSAR Government will, as always, resolutely and strictly adhere to the principle of the rule of law to ensure that 'laws are observed and strictly enforced to bring offenders to account', so as to prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security while protecting the lawful rights and interests of Hong Kong residents and other people in Hong Kong. The HKSAR Government urges all sides to recognise the objective facts and stop any baseless malicious attacks."
Ends/Friday, May 1, 2026
Issued at HKT 1:08
Issued at HKT 1:08
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