Media mogul Jimmy Lai appeals to UN over Hong Kong cases

HONG KONG (AP) — Lawyers for Hong Kong media mogul and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai are asking the United Nations to investigate his imprisonment and multiple criminal charges as “legal harassment” that punish him for speaking out. The publisher of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper is one of the most prominent activists arrested in Hong Kong’s crackdown on virtually all political criticism. It included another journalist arrested Monday who worked for a number of local outlets and at a university. Lai’s counsel appealed to U.N. special rapporteurs to address his case. U.N. special rapporteurs are empowered to seek information from government agencies and possibly real steps to end violations.