HONG KONG – Hong Kong prosecutors on Monday began closing arguments in the trial of pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai, saying the septuagenarian was fit to attend hearings after an adjournment last week to equip him with a heart monitor.
The 77-year-old founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper has pleaded not guilty to two counts of foreign collusion, with authorities accusing him of using various platforms to lobby Western nations to sanction China and Hong Kong.
The charges are brought under the city’s national security law, which Beijing imposed after the finance hub saw huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019.
The trial was scheduled to begin its final stages last Thursday but was postponed twice: first due to bad weather and then to address Lai’s medical needs. AFP
The defense had said on Friday that Lai was experiencing heart “palpitations” and had an episode where he felt like he was “collapsing.”
Prosecutor Anthony Chau said on Monday that Lai had been prescribed medication and was wearing a heart rate monitoring device, which was given to him on Friday.
“(Lai) has made no complaint on his heart condition or general health condition and is fit to attend court,” Chau said.
Judge Esther Toh also read out a memo by a senior medical officer saying that Lai was “physically and mentally fit for court”.
Concerns have been raised previously over Lai’s health by his family and rights groups.
The media tycoon has been kept behind bars since December 2020, reportedly in solitary confinement, and has lost weight during that time.
The Hong Kong government said in a statement on Friday that the “medical care received by Lai Chee-ying in custody is adequate and comprehensive”.
“In view of (Lai’s) claims of heart palpitations, after a visiting specialist from the Hospital Authority conducted a detailed examination on him on Aug. 7, no abnormality was found,” the statement read. AFP
