Hong
Kong media personality and Beijing critic Jimmy Lai appeared in front of a
court on Saturday in the face of a charge issued under the new national security
law that might jail him for life, AFP reported.

Lai has
been accused of collaborating with foreign governments by calling them on to
sanction Hong Kong and China in response to the crackdown by the Chinese
government on the pro-democracy protests raging on in the city-state.

Also read: Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai charged under national security law

73-year-old
Lai is the most high-profile figure charged under the law so far. The judicial
amendment has targeted the pro-democracy protests but also has brought a
semblance of calm in the finance hub.

The new
national security department accused Lai of “Collusion with a foreign
country or with external elements to endanger national security”, according
to AFP. Under the law, Lai can face maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The prosecutor
stated in the court that Lai had broken the security law between July 1 and
December 1 by meddling with an organization, individual or a country in order
to “impose sanctions or blockade, or engage in other hostile
activities”.

Lai has
acknowledged the charges.

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Chief
Magistrate Victor So, one of six Magistrates to have been handpicked by Hong
Kong’s pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam, said the investigation needs more time.

Reportedly,
the police investigations revolved around more than a thousand social media
posts from Lai as well as his interviews to the media and overseas visits
claimed to have been in favour of imposing sanctions against Hong Kong and China.

AFP further
stated the police to be noting that Lai followed 53 people on Twitter including
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and a member
of Britain’s Conservative Party, Luke de Pulford.