Jimmy Lai trial: timeline of Hong Kong media mogul’s arrests, charges and court appearances

The national security trial of Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai Chee-ying commenced on Monday, following several delays and three years after his initial arrest. Lai, aged 76, is facing charges of sedition and conspiracy to collude with foreign entities. He is accused of advocating for international sanctions against Hong Kong and its central authorities, and inciting public animosity in the aftermath of the 2019 anti-government protests, which were triggered by a subsequently withdrawn extradition bill.

This article chronicles the progression of this case and other security and fraud cases involving Lai over the past three years. Lai was apprehended at his residence in Ho Man Tin on August 10, 2020. In 2020, he was arrested multiple times for his participation in unauthorized protests. He was also charged with criminal intimidation of a journalist from a competing newspaper in June 2017. In June 2020, the national security law imposed by Beijing came into effect.

In July 2020, Lai was charged with inciting others to participate in a prohibited gathering to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing. In August 2020, Lai, his two sons, and senior executives from Apple Daily were arrested by national security police on allegations of collusion with foreign forces. In December 2020, he was remanded in custody after being charged with fraud related to alleged improper use of Apple Daily's office space. He was also charged with collusion with foreign forces under the national security law.