Lai 'wanted target list of SAR officials for sanctions'

Eunice Lam

Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying asked for a list to be drawn up of SAR officials and deputies to the National People's Congress once then-US president Donald Trump signed, on July 14, 2020, an executive order in response to the imposition of the national security act, a court heard yesterday.

Former SAR leaders Tung Chee-hwa and Leung Chun-ying were on the list, and Lai, 76, described them, who were among those who supported the enactment of the law as "sinners who betrayed Hong Kong," said former Apple Daily associate publisher Chan Pui-man, 53.

Chan, testifying as the prosecution's accomplice witness, said the newspaper didn't publish the list when the order was passed, as she and her colleagues found Lai's idea unfeasible.

She and her colleagues only reported on the impact of the order, including the sanctions on officials.

The prosecution showed a headline from an Apple Daily story on July 18, 2020, that read "US list of sanctions, Han Zheng, Lam Cheng, PK Tang are listed." A picture of Trump pointing at photos of Vice President Han Zheng, former SAR chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, and Chris Tang Ping-keung, now secretary for security, were also used.

She also said the daily's management were concerned about the tycoon's continuing his Live Chat with Jimmy Lai series after the law came into effect to the extent they even consulted the newspaper's in-house lawyers.

Senior Apple Daily management personnel also switched over to the instant messaging app Signal for discussions on sensitive topics such as the law due to the app's disappearing messaging function, she said.

The chat group for "National Security Law Responding Committee" included her, then publisher CheungKin-hung, editor-in-chief Law Wai-kwong, executive editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung, executive editor-in-chief for the English version Fung Wai-kwong, and digital director Nick Cheung Chi-wai.

On August 10, 2020, Lai forwarded Chan a press release from human rights group Hong Kong Watch fellow Luke de Pulford and former lawmaker Nathan Law Kwun-chung on his plan to start a private prosecution against police officers from Britain who had been handling anti-extradition protests.

Apple Daily published reports on it.

The prosecution also showed Chan an Apple Daily story on August 11, 2020, the day after 200 police officers arrested Lai and Cheung and raided Next Digital's headquarters.

Chan said the story's title "Apple Daily will hang on!" was a direct quote from Lai and Cheung.