The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government has issued a strong condemnation of an anti-China organization and certain foreign media for what it describes as attempts to whitewash the crimes of national security offender Jimmy Lai and to slander Hong Kong's judicial system.
In a detailed statement released recently, a government spokesperson emphasized that the condemnation targets actions perceived as disregarding the rule of law and twisting facts. The spokesperson stressed that judicial independence is a cornerstone of Hong Kong's legal system, as guaranteed by the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights.
The spokesperson provided a comprehensive account of the judicial process in the Jimmy Lai case to underscore its fairness and thoroughness. The court conducted 156 days of public hearings, examined over 2,200 pieces of evidence, reviewed more than 80,000 pages of documents, and considered written submissions exceeding 1,000 pages. Lai himself testified for 52 days during the proceedings.
"These figures are a testament to the fact that Jimmy Lai and other defendants were found guilty only after a fair and exhaustive trial," the spokesperson stated.
The government firmly rejected suggestions that individuals or organizations with specific backgrounds should be immune from legal consequences. "Such a notion is tantamount to granting privileges to break the law and is totally contrary to the spirit of the rule of law," the spokesperson added.
A key point of contention addressed was the conflation of Lai's criminal acts with press freedom. The spokesperson argued that some media and organizations claiming to represent journalists have misleadingly linked the case to freedom of the press to vilify the HKSAR.
"The Lai case has nothing to do with freedom of the press at all," the spokesperson clarified, asserting that evidence showed the defendants used journalism as a guise for activities harmful to national and Hong Kong's security. The trial revealed Lai's direct control over editorial direction and his collusion with foreign forces to lobby for sanctions against the central and HKSAR governments.
The court's judgment, as cited by the spokesperson, indicated that Lai's intent was to seek the downfall of the Communist Party of China, with disregard for the interests of the Chinese people and Hong Kong residents.
Despite what the HKSAR government calls "ironclad facts," it accused external forces of continuing to distort the truth and launch malicious attacks, necessitating a firm rebuttal to set the record straight.
The spokesperson reaffirmed that Hong Kong residents enjoy freedoms of the press and speech as protected by law. Both the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL) and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) stipulate that human rights must be respected while safeguarding national security.
"Since the implementation of the HKNSL and the SNSO, the media landscape in Hong Kong has remained vibrant," the spokesperson noted, dismissing certain international rankings as tools for anti-China forces lacking credibility.
The HKSAR government pledged to continue adhering strictly to the rule of law to prevent, suppress, and punish acts endangering national security, while protecting the lawful rights of all in Hong Kong. It urged all parties to recognize the objective facts and cease baseless attacks.
Reference(s):
HKSAR govt. condemns orgnization, media for whitewashing Jimmy Lai
cgtn.com
