Jimmy Lai’s trial will spark new smear campaign against Hong Kong but people will also see how ‘bad’ his actions were, says security minister

Hong Kong’s security minister Chris Tang Ping-keung expects the trial of media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to spark a fresh wave of smear campaigns against the city, but he was confident the open hearing will also reveal the extent of the “bad” crimes the Apple Daily founder had allegedly committed.

Lai, 75, is facing charges of sedition and conspiracy to collude with foreign forces for allegedly calling for international sanctions against Hong Kong and central authorities and inciting public hatred in the wake of the city’s anti-government protests in 2019.