The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today strongly condemned the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) and foreign anti-China media for turning a blind eye to the court’s conviction judgment in Lai Chee-ying’s case, in an attempt to mislead the public, deliberately whitewashing criminal Lai Chee-ying under the cloak of so-called democracy.

In a statement, the Hong Kong SAR Government said the court verdict was made strictly in accordance with the law and evidence.

It pointed out that such an attempt aims to obscure Lai Chee-ying’s shameless acts and subversive work as an agent of external forces, in order to infiltrate and brainwash young people, through manipulating the media to incite the public, the interests of the country and the people.

The Hong Kong SAR Government said the HKJA has no credibility, lacks recognition and representativeness, and has even been refusing to disclose the list of its latest executive committee members. It is despicable for an organisation of such a nature to call itself the representative of the press.

The HKJA, as with other foreign anti-China media outlets, has been intentionally misleading the public by consistently and deliberately conflating the criminal acts in Lai Chee-ying’s case with press freedom. It has even played up, with ill intent, different cases to discredit the Hong Kong SAR’s human rights and rule of law situation, aiming precisely to confuse the public and smear the Hong Kong SAR.

These are extremely despicable political manipulations that must be strongly condemned, the Hong Kong SAR Government said.

It reiterated that the conviction verdict was entirely free from any political considerations, as the court clearly pointed out in the reasons for verdict that Lai Chee-ying was not on trial for his political views or beliefs. The 855-page reasons for verdict in this case are fully open for public inspection, and include the court’s analysis of the relevant legal principles and evidence, as well as the reasons for convicting Lai Chee-ying and the three defendant companies in full detail.

Furthermore, the Hong Kong SAR Government emphasised that the case has nothing to do with press freedom at all.

Over the years, it explained, the defendants have used journalism as a guise to commit acts that brought harm to our country and Hong Kong. Lai Chee-ying was fundamentally the mastermind behind a series of anti-China and destabilising activities in Hong Kong, and was no doubt an agent of external anti-China forces.

The public trial of this case revealed Lai Chee-ying’s close management and hands-on control of the editorial direction of Apple Daily, and one of the senior managers even said they were free within a “bird cage”.

The Hong Kong SAR Government strongly urges the HKJA and other foreign anti-China media to understand the facts relating to Lai Chee-ying's case as soon as possible, and do the right thing to stop any form of infiltration and activities of a subversive nature, including “brainwashing” young people of the Hong Kong SAR for external forces.

It will absolutely not condone any acts endangering national security that incite the public to betray the interests of the country and the people.