Govt slams US for condemning the verdict against Jimmy Lai

The SAR government blasted the United States for criticizing the verdict made by Hong Kong's court about Jimmy Lai Chi-ying's fraud case and has made criticism that violated the truth, conducted false accusations, and slandered the national security law.

In a statement released Thursday, a spokesperson claimed that the government "expressed strong opposition to the US government's remarks which is factually inaccurate and politically motivated".

"It is inappropriate for us to make comments about the involved case [of Lai], which is still under judicial proceedings," said the spokesperson, "...[but] the law enforcement of Hong Kong has always been taking actions in accordance with legislation regardless of the political stand or background of any person."

"The foreign politicians who deliberately neglected the proof of the court's ruling," the spokesperson said, "...will only show their ignorance, cowardice, injustice, and arrogance."

"We urged the US government to stop intervening in any internal affairs of Hong Kong SAR," the statement noted.

The US State Department released a statement yesterday condemning the conviction made by the District Court this week accusing Lai of a fraud count.

"We remain deeply concerned about the deterioration in protection for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the systematic dismantling of Hong Kong's autonomy under the National Security Law (NSL)", said the statement.

Ned Price, the spokesperson of the Department, wrote that "though Lai's fraud trial was not on NSL grounds, local authorities nonetheless imposed the NSL's more restrictive legal procedures for this non-NSL case".

"We urge PRC authorities to restore respect for press freedom in Hong Kong, where a once-vibrant independent media environment has all but disappeared," he added.

Lai, the founder of the defunct Apple Daily, was convicted of defrauding on Tuesday for abuse of land for his media company without the owner's authorization, during which he is in custody as being charged with multiple counts of "collusion with external elements to endanger national security".