The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Friday strongly condemned attempts by an anti-China organization and foreign media to “sugarcoat the criminal acts of national security offender Lai Chee-ying” by releasing a so-called press freedom index and presenting a so-called "award".

The “despicable behaviors”, which also attempt to slander, smear and attack the SAR, totally disregarded the rule of law and twisted the facts, “which must be strongly condemned”, the government said in a statement.

Some media organizations and bodies that claim to represent journalists have conflated the criminal acts in Lai’s case with freedom of the press, and have even played up different cases to vilify the HKSAR with an aim to mislead the public and defame the city’s human rights and rule of law, said a government spokesman.

“In fact, the Lai Chee-ying case has nothing to do with freedom of the press at all. Over the years, the defendants were using journalism as a guise to commit acts that brought harm to our country and Hong Kong,” the spokesman said about the founder of the now-defunct tabloid Apple Daily, who is also known as Jimmy Lai.

In the first trial under the Hong Kong SAR National Security Law (HKNSL) for the offense of colluding with foreign force, Lai was found guilty on Dec 15 last year of violating the HKNSL, including on two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. During his sentencing on Feb 9 this year, he was awarded 20 years in prison.

RELATED ARTICLES

• Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in prison
• CE: Lai’s sentence ‘serves justice’; verdict based on overwhelming evidence
• Lai verdict shows HK's rule of law tolerates no foreign meddling
• Police: Lai verdict firmly based on evidence
• Application to forfeit Jimmy Lai’s assets will be fairly adjudicated

Stressing that Lai repeatedly colluded with foreign forces to beg for sanctions and engaged in hostile activities against the central government and the HKSAR government, the government spokesman said on Friday the court clearly pointed out that Lai’s only intent, whether pre or post HKNSL, was to seek the downfall of the Communist Party of China.

"The court clearly pointed out in the reasons for the verdict that Lai Chee-ying was not on trial for his political views or beliefs."

The court's publicly released reasons for verdict and sentence have meticulously explained its analysis of the relevant legal principles and evidence and the reasons of the conviction and sentencing of Lai and the three defendant companies – Apple Daily, Apple Daily Printing and Apple Daily Internet, “fully demonstrating that the court has made its decision on the case strictly in accordance with the law and evidence, free from any interference, and absolutely free of any political considerations”, added the spokesman.

The public trial of this case revealed Lai’s close management and hands-on control of the editorial direction of Apple Daily, the spokesman said.

Faced with these ironclad facts, external forces with ulterior motives continue to distort the truth and launch maliciously attack, the spokesman said, stressing that the HKSAR government must again firmly refute these claims to set the record straight.

The media landscape in Hong Kong has remained vibrant since the implementation of HKNSL and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, but some people with ulterior motives deliberately fabricated facts about freedom of the press and speech in the SAR, according to the government.

“As the funding of Reporters Without Borders' funding has largely come from the European Union, the United States (US) State Department and other European governments, it serves as a tool for anti-China forces for the US and some Western countries. The so-called ‘rankings’ lack credibility, which the HKSAR government disregards,” said the spokesman.

The spokesman reiterated that the HKSAR government will resolutely and strictly adhere to the principle of the rule of law to prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security while protecting the lawful rights and interests of Hong Kong residents and other people in the city.