Opinion | Websites glorifying Jimmy Lai should be prohibited to avoid affecting fair trials

By Cheng Kao-wai

Several readers have informed the author that when searching "Jimmy Lai" or "Lai Chee Ying" on Google about the recent case, the top search result is a site that glorifies Jimmy Lai and advocates support for him. This website is labeled as a "sponsored site", clearly indicating that the operator is using paid Google Ads to secure the top position in Google search rankings for maximum exposure.

First, the website is in English, with extreme and provocative content. Its "Timeline" section provides content from Jimmy Lai's foundation of "Apple Daily" in 1995, an instigator of violence and propaganda, to when it was shut down in 2021. It extensively whitewashes Jimmy Lai's long-standing collaboration with foreign forces and causes trouble in Hong Kong. The "Awards" page also lists numerous overseas awards of questionable credibility, glorifying Jimmy Lai as a "hero" fighting for freedom of speech.

Second, the sections on "Trial updates" and "Hong Kong Updates" extensively quote reports from local Hong Kong media, which are translated into English. These reports mainly originate from "Ming Pao" and "The Witness", not only covering updates on the current judicial situation in Hong Kong (such as overseas judges resigning) and other national security cases (such as the "35+ subversion case") but also providing daily updates on the court proceedings of the Jimmy Lai case (Live Update). It is worth investigating whether these two local media outlets have authorized this website to translate and publish their relevant reports in English.

Third, this website's "Press" page contains numerous photos and videos of Jimmy Lai's fourth son filing legal complaints overseas, which indicates involvement in instigating foreign interference in Hong Kong affairs and continuing subversion initiated by his father. This demonstrates the undeniable connection between this website, Jimmy Lai's fourth son, and the so-called "Jimmy Lai Foreign Legal Team".

Fourth, any attempts to glorify Jimmy Lai, manipulate public opinion in favor of Jimmy Lai, or influence the ongoing court proceedings could constitute the offense of Criminal contempt of court. The whitewashing website advertises within the Google search engine in Hong Kong and invests significant funds to secure top placement and disseminate messages that could impact the fairness of the trial, impede judicial impartiality, and exert pressure on the courts. There is a deliberate attempt to interfere with the proper functioning of the judicial system. National security authorities should intervene to investigate. Such actions must not be tolerated!

Fifth, in previous cases involving "pro-independence songs", online platforms like Google have consistently refused to remove such provocative songs. Now, Google is accepting political websites that glorify Jimmy Lai to advertise within the Hong Kong region using "Google Ads", promoting them prominently to incite citizens. This turns Google's search engine into a platform for illegal elements in Hong Kong, spreading misinformation. Such actions disregard a company's social responsibility and constitute inappropriate business practices that violate the law and endanger national security and political stability. The Hong Kong community cannot simply tolerate Google profiting from unjust activities that harm the country and its people!

The Security Bureau should immediately negotiate with Google, requesting the correction of these errors and the removal of related advertisements. Otherwise, the Department of Justice should promptly apply to the court for an injunction to ensure that websites glorifying Jimmy Lai are no longer displayed in Hong Kong, preventing interference with the fair trial process of crucial national security cases!

Related News:

Opinion | Criminals who threaten national security must not be granted leniency or reconciliation

Opinion | HK and Macao Affairs Office: Falsehoods, double standards, and ill intention