The applications for leave to appeal by two former Apple Daily editors against their 10-year prison sentences in a landmark national security case will be heard on January 22, 2027.
The hearing is expected to last about three hours, according to information published on the Hong Kong Judiciary’s website.
The appellants are Fung Wai-kong, also known by his pen name Lo Fung, a former editorial writer and managing editor of Apple Daily’s English-language section, and Lam Man-chung, the newspaper’s former executive editor-in-chief.
Both had pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security.
They were among eight co-defendants who admitted the collusion charge before Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying was convicted following trial.
Fung and Lam were each sentenced to 10 years in prison in February. Former Apple Daily editor-in-chief Ryan Law Wai-kwong, who did not appeal, also received a 10-year term.
Fung lodged his appeal in early March, becoming the first defendant in the case to challenge his sentence. Lam filed a similar application several days later.
Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious publications.
Three companies associated with Apple Daily — Apple Daily Limited, Apple Daily Printing Limited and AD Internet Limited — were each fined HK$3,004,500.
Five other co-defendants testified for the prosecution during Lai’s trial: former Next Digital chief executive and Apple Daily publisher Cheung Kim-hung, former associate publisher Chan Pui-man, editorial writer Yeung Ching-kee, Andy Li Yu-hin and Chan Tsz-wah.
Their sentences ranged from six years and three months to seven years and three months.
Cheung was jailed for six years and nine months, Chan Pui-man for seven years, Yeung and Li for seven years and three months each, and Chan Tsz-wah for six years and three months.
