Hong Kong Court Denies Jimmy Lai's Request for Jury in Libel Case

The decision marks another legal setback for the activist amid ongoing national security law prosecutions.

Jimmy Lai, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily, sought a jury trial for his libel case against the pro-Beijing newspaper Ta Kung Pao.
The court ruled that the complex nature of the case, involving extensive documentary evidence, made it unsuitable for a jury trial.
Lai's libel case stems from a 2020 article accusing him of planning to abscond from Hong Kong, a claim he contests as defamatory.
Justice Queeny Au Yeung highlighted the public interest in the case but maintained that a jury trial would not facilitate justice efficiently.
Lai, currently serving over five years for a separate fraud conviction, continues to face significant legal challenges under Hong Kong's national security law.