Hong Kong court delays Jimmy Lai national security trial, again

Jimmy Lai: Hong Kong’s high court said on Tuesday the start of the trial will be rescheduled to Sept. 25 and proceedings are slated to last until Nov. 21.

A Hong Kong court postponed media mogul Jimmy Lai’s foreign collusion trial again as it awaits China’s decision on whether foreign lawyers are allowed to represent defendants in local national security cases.

Jimmy Lai: Democracy advocate Jimmy Lai, center, leaves the Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal.(AP)

Hong Kong’s high court said on Tuesday the start of the trial will be rescheduled to Sept. 25 and proceedings are slated to last until Nov. 21.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, who has been seeking to bar a UK lawyer from representing Lai, turned to Beijing last month after the city’s highest court ruled against the government. The National People’s Congress, which will have final say on the matter, is scheduled to meet Dec. 27.

Lai’s trial was originally scheduled to start on Dec. 1 and last for 30 days.