Hong Kong court rejects activist Jimmy Lai’s bid to have a jury trial for libel case

Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong court has rejected jailed publisher Jimmy Lai’s request to have a jury trial for his libel case against a pro-Beijing newspaper. The ruling is the latest setback for the activist who suffered multiple blows in other legal battles. Lai, the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, is one of the city’s leading activists who was prosecuted under a sweeping national security law during Beijing’s crackdown on dissent. The 76-year-old brought the case against Ta Kung Pao in 2020, alleging that the publication had maliciously suggested he planned to illegally abscond from the city. Judge Queeny Au Yeung ruled against him, saying the case would require a prolonged examination of documents.