Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai denies he asked a newspaper colleague to draft list of sanction targets

Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — Former publisher Jimmy Lai has denied that he asked a colleague to draft a list of potential sanction targets in testimony at his landmark national security trial in Hong Kong. The 77-year-old founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily pro-democracy newspaper was testifying for a second day Thursday at his trial on charges of colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiring with others to issue seditious publications. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison. The testimony highlighted WhatsApp exchanges with the paper’s ex-associate publisher, who testified Lai had suggested the newspaper prepare a sanction list. Lai testified he cut and pasted text in the message that he hadn’t fully read.