Hong Kong court postpones Jimmy Lai’s trial over health issues

Former Hong Kong media owner Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s national security trial has been adjourned until Monday after judges expressed concerns about his heart issue that arose shortly before closing submission proceedings.

The Apple Daily founder’s health condition was brought to the attention of West Kowloon Court on Friday, just as the three presiding High Court judges were about to hear closing speeches from prosecutors and defence lawyers in his case of conspiracies to publish seditious articles and collude with foreign forces.

Defence senior counsel Robert Pang Yiu-hung revealed that Lai, 77, had recently experienced heart palpitations while in prison, adding that in one incident he felt he would “collapse”.

The defence earlier sought the court’s permission for Lai’s absence from the remainder of the trial, but the judges rejected the request.

Pang stressed his client did not want “undue attention” on his health condition and that the defence was prepared to carry on with proceedings.

Prosecutor Anthony Chau Tin-hang said that while the prison service’s medical team could provide Lai with necessary medication shortly, it was unable to immediately arrange for a Holter monitor, a portable device used to detect irregular heartbeats.