Civics: Hong Kong authorities reject Jimmy Lai request for UK lawyer

China News Asia:

Hong Kong’s government has refused permission for jailed pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai to be represented by a British lawyer at his upcoming national security trial, a court heard Friday (Sep 30).

Lai and a group of executives from the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper are being prosecuted for “colluding with foreign forces”, an offence under a new security law China imposed on Hong Kong to stamp out dissent.