Hong Kong judges have postponed the trial of media tycoon Jimmy Lai until he receives a heart monitoring device and related medication, citing health concerns. The 77-year-old founder of Apple Daily newspaper is charged with foreign collusion under Hong Kong’s national security law for his involvement in 2019 protests.
Lai’s lawyer said he had suffered heart palpitations, causing the court to suspend all sessions due to bad weather earlier this week. Despite the delay, Western nations and rights groups continue to call for Lai’s release, with the Committee to Protect Journalists describing the prolonged detention as “destroying Hong Kong’s historic reputation”.
US President Donald Trump has also weighed in on the case, stating that he will do everything to save Lai and acknowledging potential disapproval from Chinese President Xi Jinping. The trial is expected to resume next Monday.
Lai faces charges including foreign collusion, which could result in a life sentence, as well as seditious publication for op-eds carried by his name. His British citizenship has also sparked calls for greater support from the UK government, with Lai’s son Sebastien reiterating the need for action to prevent his father’s death in jail.
Lai was arrested in 2020 and kept in solitary confinement while facing trial. The Apple Daily newspaper was forced to close in 2021 following police raids and arrests of its senior editors.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/15/hong-kong-tycoon-jimmy-lais-trial-delayed-over-health-concerns