Acton Institute Powerblog Archives

Post Tagged 'Chinese Communist Party'

January 10, 2023

Hong Kong Can Bar Overseas Lawyers in Lead Up to Jimmy Lai Trial

Less than a month after Hong Kong adjourned democracy advocate Jimmy Lai’s trial, Beijing has stacked the deck even further against the jailed entrepreneur and freedom fighter. After the Hong Kong High Court postponed Lai’s trial in December, the responsibility fell to Beijing’s Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress to determine the role of the media mogul’s international legal counsel. Continue Reading...
December 14, 2022

Jimmy Lai Trial Adjourned Until September 2023

Entrepreneur and freedom fighter Jimmy Lai’s fight for justice will now drag on for nine more months as the Hong Kong High Court adjourns his trial. The delay comes as Hong Kong waits for Beijing to rule on allowing King’s Counsel Tim Owen, a British lawyer and internationalist specialist, to join Lai’s defense team in his fight against the country’s draconian National Security Law. Continue Reading...
December 02, 2022

Hong Kong Blocks Visa for British Lawyer in Lai Trial

Hong Kong freedom fighter Jimmy Lai was scheduled to go on trial this week for alleged crimes against China’s National Security Law. However, Hong Kong’s immigration department has succeeded in pushing the trial back by denying Lai access to a key international lawyer on his legal team: Timothy Owen, whose visa was recently withheld by a Hong Kong court. Continue Reading...
November 17, 2022

Jimmy Lai Pushes to Halt National Security Trial

Mere days after bringing a veteran British litigator on his legal team, jailed Hong Kong entrepreneur Jimmy Lai is moving to halt the trial proceedings entirely. In a pretrial interview, the 74-year-old Lai came before three National Security judges to review the charges brought against him. Continue Reading...
November 03, 2022

China’s Future Is Not Fixed

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) held its 20th national congress to chart its future direction and anoint Xi Jinping as leader-for-life. At least that’s what Xi plans. Xi lauded his record, which, he insisted, has “ensured that the party will never change in quality, change its color, or change its flavor.” Continue Reading...
October 31, 2022

The U.S. stands behind Hong Kong freedom fighter Jimmy Lai

One day after pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai was found guilty of fraud charges, the U.S. Department of State responded to the verdict, condemning its “spurious fraud charges” and noting increasing concerns about “deterioration in protection for human rights” under the Chinese Communist Party’s National Security Law (NSL). Continue Reading...
October 29, 2022

Freedom fighter Jimmy Lai found guilty of fraud

In a blow to free speech, pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai has been found guilty of fraud by a court in Hong Kong as China works to stamp out dissent. District Court judge Stanley Chan said Lai committed fraud by not revealing that he operated a consulting firm from the offices of his media company—a violation of his lease with a government-owned entity. Continue Reading...