HONG KONG – Media mogul and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai was granted HK$10 million ($1.3 million) bail on Wednesday by a Hong Kong court. Lai (73) was booked under the city’s new national security law on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces. He had been in custody since Dec. 3, is also charged with fraud related to the lease of a building that houses Apple Daily, which was founded by him.
An immediate appeal by the prosecution was then denied on the same day.
The bail terms stipulate, the activist should not meet foreign officials, give any interviews, publish any articles or post on social media. He will have to remain at home and surrender his travel documents.
Lai is one of the financial hub’s most vocal critics of Beijing, his Next Media group is one of the last remaining bastions of media freedom. He was arrested in August when about 200 police officers raided the newsroom of his Apple Daily tabloid.