Hong Kong denies bail for opposition publisher Jimmy Lai

Jimmy Lai leaves the Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal (AP/Kin Cheung)

A Hong Kong court has denied bail for government critic and newspaper publisher Jimmy Lai who is facing charges under a sweeping new national security law.

The ruling by the Court of Final Appeal comes amid heavy pressure from the Chinese government and state media to keep Mr Lai in custody, arguing that Mr Lai’s crimes against the state are particularly egregious and that he possesses the means to flee the semi-autonomous Chinese city.