HONG KONG (AP) – The Hong Kong High Court on Thursday revoked the bail of media mogul Jimmy Lai after prosecutors managed to ask the judges to put him back in custody.
Lai was granted bail on December 23 after three weeks in custody on charges of fraud and threatening national security. His appeal hearing is scheduled for February 1.
The court said on Thursday that it could be “reasonably disputed” that the previous judge’s ruling was wrong and that the order to grant bail was invalid.
Lai is one of a series of pro-democracy activists and supporters arrested by Hong Kong police in recent months as authorities stepped up their fight against opposition in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.
He was charged with fraud on December 3 for allegedly violating the terms of office space for Next Digital, the media company he founded. He was later charged again on December 12 under the Comprehensive National Security Act instituted by Beijing on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces and endangering national security.
Lai entered the court for final appeal without commenting on supporters and media, many of whom the tycoon swarmed as he entered the courtroom. His bail conditions include the delivery of his travel documents and a ban on meeting with foreign officials, publishing articles on any media, posting on social media and giving interviews.
The Chinese state newspaper People’s Daily on Sunday made a strongly worded comment criticizing the court for granting bail to Lai, saying it “seriously harms Hong Kong’s rule of law”.
The People’s Daily said it would not be difficult for Lai to leave, calling him “infamous and extremely dangerous”. It also warned that China could take over the case, according to Article 55 of the National Security Act, which stipulates that China “may exercise jurisdiction over any matter concerning an infringement that endangers national security.”
The Hong Kong judiciary on Tuesday posted a 19-page ruling on its website setting out the reasons why Supreme Court Justice Alex Lee granted bail to Lai. Lee said he was satisfied that there was no flight risk in Lai’s case, noting that Lai was willing to monitor his movements if it was a viable option.
Lai resigned on Tuesday as chairman and CEO of Next Digital, which runs the Apple Daily newspaper, according to documentation made to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. He did so “to spend more time on these personal matters” and confirmed that he had no disagreement with the board of directors.