20 Jan 2025法庭線#4445
黎智英案｜黎確認介紹美前駐港總領事晤蔡英文 否認當台灣或美國代理人
Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai, who is charged with offences including conspiracy to collude with foreign forces, began his 121st day of trial at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts, sitting as the High Court, on Monday (20). It was his 29th day giving evidence, and prosecutors questioned him about his relationship with Kurt Tong, the former US consul general in Hong Kong.
Lai confirmed in court that, knowing Taiwan needed contacts in the United States, he introduced Tong to then President Tsai Ing-wen, and confirmed that he paid Tong’s travel expenses for visiting Taiwan. He denied being an intermediary or agent for the United States or Taiwan. Lai also confirmed that Tong and Tsai eventually met in 2018 and that he attended the meeting. He said Tong explained how he could assist Taiwan in the United States, but Tsai made no decision at the time and the parties did not reach a consensus. The trial will continue on Tuesday (21).
壹傳媒創辦人黎智英被控「串謀勾結外國勢力」等罪，周一（20 日）在西九龍裁判法院（暫代高等法院）展開第 121 日審訊，黎第 29 日作供，控方圍繞黎與美國前駐港總領事郭明瀚的關係提問。
黎庭上確認，因為知悉台灣需要美國的人 脈，故引薦郭明瀚與時任總統蔡英文會面，並確認由他支付郭明瀚赴台旅費，但否認是美國或台灣的中間人或代理人。黎又確認，郭明瀚及蔡英文最終在 2018 年會面，他亦有出席會議，指郭明瀚於席上講解他可如何在美國協助台灣，但蔡當時沒作任何決定，各方未有達成共識。案件周二（21 日）續審。
17 Jan 2025法庭線#4436
黎智英案｜黎確認安排美前官員赴台為蔡英文諮詢 花費逾千萬元
Media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, founder of Next Digital, is charged with “conspiracy to collude with foreign forces” and other offences. On Friday (17th), the 120th day of his trial began at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts, sitting in place of the High Court. It was Lai’s 28th day giving evidence, and the prosecution continued questioning him about his introduction of two former senior US officials to then Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen. The prosecution said communications between Lai and his assistant Mark Simon mentioned a “consultancy contract”. Lai denied knowing that the contract existed, saying he had only noted that the other party said the US Department of Justice had approved the authorisation. Lai also confirmed that he paid the two former US officials’ travel expenses and consultancy fees, involving about HK$14.9 million in total.
The prosecution also mentioned that Tsai Ing-wen’s aide Kong Chun-nam had been employed by Next Magazine and Taiwan Apple Daily. Records showed that Taiwan Apple Daily paid Kong about NT$200,000 a month from 2017 to 2020, stating that “Mr Kong was of some use to Mr Lai or Taiwan (only Mr Lai himself knows what use)… unrelated to writing articles”. Lai said this was a misunderstanding, explaining that after he discovered Kong was no longer writing for Taiwan Apple Daily, he instructed colleagues to stop the payments, but the colleagues believed Kong was useful to Lai and therefore continued making the payments. The trial will resume next Monday (20th).
壹傳媒創辦人黎智英被控「串謀勾結外國勢力」等罪，周五（17 日）在西九龍裁判法院（暫代高等法院）展開第 120 日審訊，黎第 28 日作供，控方續就黎介紹美國兩名前高官予時任台灣總統蔡英文認識一事提問。控方指，黎與助手 Mark Simon 通訊提及「諮詢合約」，黎否認知悉合約存在，僅留意到對方稱美國司法部批准許可。黎又確認，由他支付兩名前美官員的旅費及諮詢費，共涉款約 1,490 萬港元。
控方另提到，蔡英文助手江春男曾受聘於《壹週刊》及《台蘋》。紀錄顯示，《台蘋》由 2017 年至 2020 年，每月向江支付約 20 萬元台幣，「理由是江先生對黎先生或台灣有某些用處（什麼用處只有黎先生自己知道）…與寫稿無關」。黎稱屬誤會，指當他發現江沒再為《台蘋》撰文，已著同事停付，但同事認為江對黎有用，故繼續付款。案件下周一（20 日）續審。
16 Jan 2025法庭線#4435
黎智英案｜黎確認介紹美前官員予蔡英文認識 支付訪台及顧問費 官關注為何非由台府支付
Jimmy Lai, founder of Next Digital, is charged with “conspiracy to collude with a foreign country or with external elements” and other offences. The 119th day of his trial began on Thursday (16) at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts, sitting as the High Court. The defence completed 27 days of examination-in-chief, after which the prosecution began cross-examination.
Under cross-examination, Lai confirmed that he introduced retired US general and former vice chief of staff Jack Keane and former deputy defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz to Tsai Ing-wen, then president of Taiwan, to explain the US government’s views and attitude towards Taiwan. He said he paid for their visits to Taiwan and their consultancy fees.
Justice Susana Maria D'Almada Remedios asked why the costs were not paid by the Taiwan government. Lai said this was because the two men were his friends and he had arranged the meetings, adding that Tsai did not know he had paid them. Justice Susana Maria D'Almada Remedios questioned whether Lai was an “intermediary” coordinating Taiwan and the United States. Lai denied being an intermediary, saying, “I was not qualified to do that.” The trial will continue on Friday (17).
壹傳媒創辦人黎智英被控「串謀勾結外國勢力」等罪，周四（16 日）在西九龍裁判法院（暫代高等法院）展開第 119 日審訊，辯方完成 27 日主問，由控方展開盤問。
黎在盤問下確認，他介紹美國退休將軍兼前副參謀長 Jack Keane、前國防副部長 Paul Wolfowitz 予台灣時任總統蔡英文認識，以解釋美國政府對台灣的想法和態度﹐並指兩人訪台、顧問費由他支付。
法官李運騰關注，費用為何非由台灣政府支付？黎指，因兩人是其朋友，由他安排見面，而蔡不知道他曾付錢。法官李素蘭質疑，黎是協調台灣與美國雙方的「中間人」。黎否認是中間人，稱「我沒有資格這樣做」。案件周五（17 日）續審。
14 Jan 2025集誌社#4427
國安通緝｜一連兩日行動 國安警邀鍾劍華太太、兒子助查
At the end of last year, national security police offered rewards of $1 million each for information leading to the arrest of six wanted people, including former deputy chief executive of the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute Chung Kim-wah. In recent days, they have begun investigative operations targeting the relatives and friends of individual wanted people. After HKPORI chairperson and chief executive Chung Ting-yiu was taken away by national security police yesterday (13th), national security police are understood to have invited Chung Kim-wah’s wife and son to assist with an investigation this morning. Chung Kim-wah’s son left Mong Kok Police Station at around noon. Chung Kim-wah’s wife left Tin Shui Wai Police Station at 1:30 pm; after walking away quickly, she was briefly pursued, interviewed and filmed by the media.
國安警去年底懸紅各100萬元，通緝香港民研前副行政總裁鍾劍劍華等六人，近日開始針對個別被通緝人士的親友，展開調查行動。繼香港香港民研主席兼行政總裁鍾庭耀昨 （ 13 日）被國安警帶走後，據了解，國安警今早邀請鍾劍華的太太及兒子，到警署助查。下午 12 時許，鍾劍華的兒子，離開旺角警署。鍾劍華太太於下午1時30分步出天水圍警署，她急步離開後，一度被傳媒追訪拍攝。
13 Jan 2025法庭線#4422
黎智英案｜張劍虹供稱黎推「撐小店」廣告行動 黎指自己沒與會、由員工提出建議
Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai is charged with “conspiracy to collude with foreign forces” and other offences. The trial entered its 118th day on Monday (13th) at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts, sitting as the High Court, with Lai giving evidence for the 26th day.
Former Next Digital chief executive Cheung Kim-hong, described as an “accomplice witness”, testified that Lai promoted a “Support Small Shops” advertising campaign in 2019. The defence displayed Slack records from Apple Daily’s work platform showing that Lai was not in Hong Kong at the time and that the meeting was chaired by Cheung. Lai also said the proposal had been put forward by employees, denying that he had indicated his support for it to Cheung through other channels. The trial will continue on Thursday (16th).
壹傳媒創辦人黎智英被控「串謀勾結外國勢力」等罪，周一（13 日）在西九龍裁判法院（暫代高等法院）展開第 118 日審訊，黎第 26 日作供。
就「從犯證人」前壹傳媒行政總裁張劍虹供稱，黎於 2019 年曾推「撐小店」廣告活動，辯方展示《蘋果》工作平台 Slack 紀錄，顯示黎當時不在港，會議由張劍虹主持。黎又指，建議由員工提出，否認在其他渠道向張表示支持提議。案件周四（16 日）續審。
10 Jan 2025法庭線#4420
譚得志煽動案終極上訴 譚一方引甘地自述指「不涉煽暴應有自由表達不滿」
Former People Power vice-chairman “Fast Beat” Tam Tak-chi was convicted of 11 offences, including “uttering seditious words”, over remarks allegedly made at a street booth in 2020, including “black cops should die with their entire families” and “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times”. He was sentenced to 40 months in prison and has completed his sentence in the case. Tam, dissatisfied with his conviction and sentence, brought a final appeal. Five Court of Final Appeal judges finished hearing submissions from both sides on Friday (the 10th) and reserved judgment.
One issue in the case is whether a sedition charge requires proof of an intention to incite violence. Senior Counsel for Tam, Philip John Dykes, cited Mahatma Gandhi’s account of his 1922 trial, saying that feelings cannot be manufactured or regulated by law. If a person has no feeling towards someone or an institution, he should have the freedom to fully express his dissatisfaction so long as it does not involve inciting violence. The Department of Justice reiterated that the Court of Final Appeal had ruled that the sedition offence was constitutional and did not infringe freedom of speech, and that the prosecution was not required to prove an intention to incite violence or disrupt public order.
In response to the appellant’s argument that sedition is an “indictable offence” that must be tried by a jury in the Court of First Instance, the judges questioned whether having the Court of First Instance and a jury handle the matter was “making a mountain out of a molehill”, given that the maximum sentence for the old sedition offence was only two years’ imprisonment. They also said that the requirement for indictable offences to be tried in the Court of First Instance was not a “straitjacket”.
人民力量前副主席「快必」譚得志，被指 2020 年擺街站時，發表「黑警死全家」、「光時」等言論，被裁定「發表煽動文字」等 11 罪成，判囚 40 個月，他就本案已完成服刑。譚不服定罪及刑罰提終極上訴，終院 5 位法官於周五（10 日）聽畢雙方陳詞，押後裁決。
本案爭議之一，是煽動罪須否證煽暴意圖。代表譚的資深大律師戴啟思，引印度聖雄甘地在 1922 年大審判中的自述指，感情無法被製造或以法律去規範，若一個人對某人或制度沒有感情，只要不涉煽動暴力，他應該有自由充分表達不滿。律政司則重申，終院已裁定煽動罪合憲，沒侵犯言論自由，控方毋須證明具煽暴或擾亂公共秩序意圖。
針對上訴方指煽動罪屬「可公訴罪行」，須在高院原訟庭由陪審團審理，法官質疑，舊煽動罪最高刑罰僅判囚 2 年，由原訟庭及陪審團處理是否「小題大做」，又指「可公訴罪行」由原訟庭審訊的規定非「約束衣」。
9 Jan 2025法庭線#4409
黎智英案｜節目稱習近平「毛澤東二號」被指煽動 黎：即控方認為毛是最可憎的人？
Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai, who faces charges including conspiracy to collude with foreign forces, began the 117th day of his trial at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts, sitting as the High Court, on Thursday (9th). It was Lai’s 25th day giving evidence.
Regarding his description of President Xi Jinping in an interview programme as “the most absolute dictator” and his statement that “the West should beware of this ‘Mao Zedong No. 2’”, Lai said he was merely stating facts, explaining that China had powerful economic capabilities and technology for surveillance. The defence said the prosecution alleged that describing Xi as “Mao Zedong No. 2” constituted incitement to hatred. Lai asked, “If saying Xi Jinping is ‘Mao Zedong No. 2’ constitutes incitement, does that mean the prosecution considers Mao to be the most hateful person?” He reiterated that it was not incitement to hatred. The trial will continue next Monday (13th).
壹傳媒創辦人黎智英被控「串謀勾結外國勢力」等罪，周四（9 日）在西九龍裁判法院（暫代高等法院）展開第 117 日審訊，黎第 25 日作供。
就黎在訪談節目形容，國家主席習近平為「最絕對獨裁者」，又指「西方應警惕這個『毛澤東二號』」。黎指僅陳述事實，解釋中國有強大經濟能力及科技作監控。辯方指，控方指控「毛澤東二號」的說法屬煽動憎恨，黎反問，「若說習近平是『毛澤東二號』屬煽動，那麼控方認為毛是最可憎的人？」，重申非煽動憎恨。案件下周一（13 日）續審。
8 Jan 2025法庭線#4402
黎智英案｜黎稱國安法後被捕 「有政治犯就不信有法治」 官質疑指黎非因政治被捕
Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai, charged with offences including conspiracy to collude with foreign forces, began his 116th day of trial on Wednesday (8th) at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts, sitting as the High Court, and gave evidence for the 24th day.
Regarding remarks made by Lai on an interview programme that there was no room to “fight for the rule of law and freedom”, the defence said that the National Security Law contains provisions protecting the rule of law and freedom. Lai told the court that if there were political prisoners, he would not believe there was rule of law and freedom. He said that after the National Security Law took effect, he became certain that Hong Kong would have political prisoners, and that he himself had been arrested. Judge Esther Toh questioned him: “You say you are a political prisoner. Don’t you understand that you were arrested because of criminal charges? You were not arrested for political reasons.” Lai replied, “OK, OK, OK, understood.”
Regarding remarks Lai made on another interview programme that China feared Hong Kong possessing Western values, Lai explained in court that people on the mainland did not enjoy freedoms protected by the Basic Law, and therefore the Chinese Communist Party feared that people on the mainland would be influenced by Hong Kong. Toh asked why, if that was the case, the Chinese government had included those rights in the Basic Law. Lai answered, “You ask them, don’t ask me,” and asked Toh in return, “Do you think Chinese people have freedom of speech?”
壹傳媒創辦人黎智英被控「串謀勾結外國勢力」等罪，周三（8 日）在西九龍裁判法院（暫代高等法院）展開第 116 日審訊，黎第 24 日作供。
針對黎在訪談節目提到，沒空間「為法治和自由而戰」，辯方指《國安法》有條文保護法治和自由。黎庭上稱，如有政治犯便不相信有法治及自由，而《國安法》後他確信香港會有政治犯，他本人亦已被捕。法官杜麗冰質疑，「你說你是政治犯，你不明白你是因為刑事控罪被捕的嗎？你不是因政治而被捕」；黎回應「OK，OK，OK，明白」。
至於黎在另一集訪談節目提到，中國害怕香港擁有西方價值觀。黎庭上解釋，國內人沒有受《基本法》保障的自由，所以中共害怕國內人受香港影響。杜麗冰追問，若是如此，為何中國政府要把這些權利放入《基本法》？黎回答「你問他們，不要問我」，反問杜「你覺得中國人有言論自由嗎？」
7 Jan 2025法庭線#4397
黎智英案｜黎節目稱台灣應加入國際聯盟 官以父子比喻中台關係 質疑非獨立國家不可行
Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai, charged with offences including conspiracy to collude with foreign forces, began the 115th day of his trial on Tuesday (7th) at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts, sitting temporarily as the High Court. It was the 23rd day of Lai’s testimony.
Regarding Lai’s statement on an interview programme that the Biden administration should allow Taiwan to become a member of an international alliance and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), Justice Esther Toh noted that all other members of the alliance were independent countries and asked how Taiwan could join. Lai said Taiwan could join in a non-state capacity. Toh then used a father-and-son analogy to describe China-Taiwan relations and questioned whether it was unreasonable for Taiwan to oppose China together with other countries. Lai stressed that it was feasible, and said Toh could describe Taiwan as part of China, but Taiwan regarded China as a threat.
In another interview programme, Lai said he hoped then-US President Donald Trump would be re-elected. Lai confirmed in court that he supported Trump, saying Trump adopted a tough approach towards China-related issues and faced reality, such as decoupling from China. Lai also said Trump had promised to take the Hong Kong issue seriously. After the judge repeatedly asked about the details, Lai referred to Trump revoking Hong Kong’s special status, which he considered effective.
壹傳媒創辦人黎智英被控「串謀勾結外國勢力」等罪，周二（7 日）在西九龍裁判法院（暫代高等法院）展開第 115 日審訊，黎第 23 日作供。
就黎在訪談節目指，拜登政府應該讓台灣成為國際聯盟、「四方安全對話」（QUAD）成員之一。法官杜麗冰關注，聯盟其他成員均為獨立國家，台灣怎能加入。黎則指台灣可以用非國家身分加入。杜麗冰再以父子比喻中台關係，質疑台灣與其他國家一起反對中國不合理，黎強調可行，又指杜可說台灣是中國一部分，但台灣視中國為威脅。
另外，黎在另一集訪談節目稱，希望時任美國總統特朗普連任。黎庭上確認支持特朗普，認為他在對中議題上採取強硬手法、面對現實，例如對中國「脫鈎」。黎又指，特朗普曾承諾嚴肅看待香港議題，法官多番追問內容，黎提到特朗普取消香港特殊地位，他認為此舉有效。
6 Jan 2025法庭線#4390
黎智英案｜節目稱「台灣將是非常獨特國家」 黎否認主張台獨 同意以「地方」形容更好
Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai is charged with conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and other offences. After a brief adjournment at the end of December last year, the trial resumed on Monday (6th) at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts, sitting as the High Court, which was the 114th day of the trial and Lai’s 22nd day giving evidence.
Regarding his remark on an interview programme in October 2020 that “Taiwan will be a very unique country”, Lai denied in court that he was advocating Taiwan independence. He said he was merely describing how Taiwan was becoming a “more powerful place” through its relationship with the United States, and agreed under questioning from the judge that “place” was a more appropriate way to describe Taiwan.
In another episode, Lai had called for international attention to the “12 Hong Kong residents”, saying it was the only way to save them. In court, he agreed that, to some extent, he was asking the international community to intervene in the matter of the “12 Hong Kong residents”. The trial will continue on Tuesday (7th).
壹傳媒創辦人黎智英被控「串謀勾結外國勢力」等罪，案件去年 12 月底短暫休庭後，周一（6 日）在西九龍裁判法院（暫代高等法院）展開第 114 日審訊，黎第 22 日作供。
就他 2020 年 10 月在訪談節目提到，「台灣將會是一個非常獨特的國家」，黎庭上否認主張台獨，指自己只是形容台灣透過與美國的關係，正變成「更強大的地方」，並在法官追問下，同意以「地方」形容台灣更合適。
另外，黎在另一集節目曾呼籲國際關注「12 港人」，指是拯救他們的唯一方法。黎庭上同意，他某程度上是請求國際社會干預「12 港人」一事。案件周二（7 日）續審。
Translations are supplied by the source workbook. Consult the original reporting for context.
