Hong Kong tycoon, Jimmy Lai, protests his innocence in national security charges

Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai has pleaded not guilty as his trial resumed on Tuesday. The 76-year-old faces life imprisonment if convicted of threatening Hong Kong's national security and colluding with foreign powers. His case is seen as a test of the city's judicial independence and has sparked international concern. The trial, which began in December 2020 after a year-long delay, is expected to last about 80 days. Lai, a UK citizen, has been in solitary confinement since his arrest for fraud and involvement in protests. He is among more than 250 activists detained under the National Security Law (NSL), which critics argue is being used to suppress dissent. Beijing refers to Lai as a traitor seeking to undermine China's security. Lai, who founded the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, was at the forefront of Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests, including the Umbrella Movement in 2014 and the demonstrations against the extradition bill in 2019. Born in southern China's Guangzhou province, Lai fled to Hong Kong as a stowaway when he was 12, where he worked in a garment sweatshop and taught himself English. He later established the international apparel brand Giordano. After the 1989 pro-democracy protests in Beijing, Lai shifted his focus to political activism and media. In 2021, he received his first jail sentence in Hong Kong of 13 months for participating in a banned vigil commemorating the Tiananmen Square massacre.