Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying had said he would continue to put up resistance despite the enactment of the Hong Kong National Security Law, according to former Apple Daily publisher Cheung Kim-hung.
Cheung, 62, continued to testify in the West Kowloon Court as a prosecution accomplice witness against Lai, 76, on Thursday as the trial entered the 21st day.
During cross-examination, Cheung said he believed the publication would continue to operate legally and it was unlikely that the staff would face legal consequences because of their work.
Cheung also said he had told staffers not to become too emotional and to work in accordance with the company’s core values.
When asked by judge Alex Lee Wan-tang, Cheung agreed that staff would continue to work the way they used to before the national security law came into effect, following the editorial directions laid out by Lai.
Cheung also recalled Lai saying that he was not afraid and would continue to put up resistance.
Apple Daily only started to shelf sensitive articles by Lai as well as the “10 steps to burn with us” piece by legal scholar Benny Tai Yiu-ting after Lai was arrested in December 2021.
Yet, the column articles and videos of online program “Live Chat with Jimmy Lai” couldn’t be shelved as they were published by the boss himself, Cheung noted, saying that Apple Daily tried its best to not break the law.
The defense said there were drastic changes in the publication’s editorial directions following the enactment of the NSL, but Cheung disagreed and said he couldn’t recall much changes.
Cheung pointed out that they had sought legal advice from lawyers who reminded employees to only use the protest slogan “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times” in news reports. Employees were also advised not to advocate the slogan, he added.
The defense then said Cheung had a six-hour meeting with a police sergeant after his bail application was rejected by the High Court on November 10, 2021.
The defense added that two days after the judgment for rejecting Cheung’s bail was released, Cheung told police in another meeting that he had relevant information to disclose and wished to become a prosecution witness, to which Cheung agreed.
Cheung disagreed with the defense that he became a prosecution witness as invited by police without seeking any legal advice. Yet, he confirmed that he attended three police recorded meetings between June 17 and 18 and remained silent all the time.
The trial continues tomorrow (Fri).
Hong Kong United Times丨香港聯合時報丨HKUT 