Global advocacy group allegedly backed by Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai prepared sanctions list targeting more than 140 individuals, court hears
- On 50th day of Lai’s trial, detained activist Andy Li continues to explain how his alliance carried out international lobbying in late 2019
- SWHK alliance prepared sanctions list targeting more than 140 individuals that paved way for US penalties against those deemed to have undermined city’s autonomy, court hears
In a text conversation with Chu, Li described the document as “the only serious list with cases backing the claims going in”, adding its source should be kept strictly confidential.
“Let’s just say … You don’t know where it came from,” Li suggested to Chu in one message.
Li continued: “From recipients’ point of view, they know that someone [us] have submitted a suggested list, and we leave it open for them to interpret it, to independently verify cases, to follow up with us and to decide what to do with them.”
Chu replied he would have some off-the-record discussions with the US Department of State and tried to “strengthen the case”.
Li told the court he provided the list to Chu, who acted as a point of contact, for him to decide whether it should be passed to the senators for their consideration. He added he did not know who created the list.
“For one thing, [the Act] steered political momentum in the US in favour of legislation in support of Hong Kong,” Li told the court. “The other thing is it could hold the perpetrators of human rights violations accountable, such as [by imposing] sanctions.”
The witness also highlighted a joint effort by him and SWHK to invite 19 foreign politicians and human rights observers from 10 countries to monitor the 2019 district council election.
Li said the observation mission was formed after Lord Alton, a House of Lords member in the United Kingdom, expressed interest in watching the election but wanted to avoid taking the initiative to make the visit.
He was later reimbursed with more than HK$3.28 million in crowdfunded donations managed by Project Hong Kong Trust, a US trust fund set up at Simon’s suggestion to avoid being targeted by city authorities.
Li said he also joined a private meeting with Lord Alton alongside British politician Luke de Pulford, veteran democrat Martin Lee Chu-ming and former chief secretary Anson Chan Fang On-sang at a hotel during the course of the mission.
The trial continues on Friday.