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The national security trial believed to be the top among other activists in Hong Kong commenced on Monday with very tight security for Hong Kong media tycoon, Jimmy Lai Chee- ying who is facing charges of sedition and conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and inciting public hatred.
Lai who had been Imprisoned for more than 1,100 days and convicted in five other cases, including for organizing and participating in marches during the 2019 democracy protests.
With the presence of scores of heavily equipped police, people lined up outside the West Kowloon Law Court building the night before the long-awaited trial's day, even in the chilling weather.
A security cordon was set up around the court building, with uniformed, riot and plainclothes police, armoured vehicles and sniffer dogs on site.
Lai, the founder of the now-forced-to-close pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily and one of the most prominent Hong Kong critics of China's Communist Party leadership, has faced litigations since a wave of pro-democracy protests in 2019.
The 76-year-old appeared calm and thinner than in previous court appearances as proceedings started, smiling and waving to the packed court.
Lai, flanked by four guards, was seen reading court documents as his lead lawyer, Robert Pang, addressed the three judges in wigs and red robes.
"When fundamental rights are engaged, any protection must be interpreted generously in favour of Mr Lai and narrowly for the prosecution," Pang told the court.
Lai has pleaded not guilty 9 all charges.
Western democracies, including the United States, Britain and the European Union, are watching closely, with the trial looming as a fresh diplomatic flashpoint and a key test for Hong Kong's judicial independence and freedoms under the sweeping national security law imposed by China in 2020.
• Additional information from Reuters
期待已久的黎智英國安審判今日開庭，安保嚴密
被認為是香港最嚴重的國家安全審判於週一開始，香港媒體大亨黎智英面臨煽動叛亂、串謀勾結外國勢力和煽動公眾仇恨等罪名，安保嚴密。。
賴已被監禁超過 1,100 天，並因其他五起案件被定罪，包括在 2019 年民主抗議期間組織和參加遊行。
在期待已久的審判前一天晚上，儘管天氣寒冷，但仍有數十名全副武裝的警察在西九龍法院大樓外排隊。
法院大樓周圍設置了安全警戒線，現場有穿著制服的防暴警察和便衣警察、裝甲車和嗅探犬。
黎智英是現已關閉的民主報紙《蘋果日報》的創始人，也是香港最著名的中國共產黨領導批評者之一，自 2019 年民主抗議浪潮以來，他面臨許多訴訟。
訴訟開始時，這位 76 歲的老人看起來比之前出庭時更加平靜和消瘦，他微笑著向擠滿人的法庭揮手致意。
有人看到黎智英在四名警衛的陪同下閱讀法庭文件，而他的首席律師羅伯特·龐則戴著假髮、身穿紅袍向三名法官發表講話。
龐告訴法庭： “當涉及基本權利時，任何保護都必須被寬大地解釋為有利於賴先生，狹隘地解釋為有利於檢方。”
黎對所有9項指控均表示不認罪。
包括美國、英國和歐盟在內的西方民主國家正在密切關注，這次審判即將成為新的外交熱點，也是對中國在 2020 年實施的全面國家安全法下香港司法獨立和自由的關鍵考驗。
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