A Hong Kong court has yet to set a date for delivering a verdict against the city’s pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai, despite the judges hearing the closing arguments on Thursday. The court only said that both parties will be informed “in good time.” Previously, the judges indicated a verdict might come in October.
The 77-year-old defendant was arrested in 2020 following Beijing’s imposition of a controversial national security law. He has been held in custody ever since. Lai’s Apple Daily newspaper was forced to close in 2021. During his trial, Lai faced charges of “colluding with foreign forces” and “publishing seditious materials.”
