Jimmy Lai Granted Bail

Jimmy Lai waves to an Apple Daily reporter at his home

The breaking news today that Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying was granted bail was surprising considering he is being charged under the national security law. Most thought Lai's chances of ever stepping out of prison again were next to nil.

This development gives hope to three others charged under the national security law -- Tang Ying-kit, Tony Chung Hon-lam and Adam Ma -- to try to get bail too as now there is a precedent.

Lai walks out of the Court of Final Appeal...

Lai's lawyers were able to get a temporary release just in time for Christmas, but there are some serious strings attached to his home arrest.

He is not allowed to publish anything on social media, or publish any articles, not to meet any foreign government officials, take any media interviews, or host interviews. The newspaper tycoon also had to post HK$10 million (US$1.29 million) in bail, and three guarantors had to pony up HK$100,000 each. 

In addition Lai also had to give up his passport and has to report to the police three times a week and can only leave his home to attend court hearings.

Lai was remanded in custody since December 3 when he and two others were charged with fraud for allegedly breaching land lease terms on the use of Next Digital's office space in Tseung Kwan O. He was later charged with collusion under the national security law.

The Department of Justice immediately applied for a certificate from the court to appeal against the bail decision at the Court of Final Appeal, but this was later rejected by the High Court which said it did not have the jurisdiction.

... and into his waiting car to take him home

There was a lot of media attention around Lai's release, as reporters and photographers waited for hours for Lai to be released from the Court of Final Appeal in Admiralty. After 9pm a woman wearing police identification tags told reporters he wouldn't be released until 11pm so everyone disappeared for their washroom/food break.

But at 10.52pm Lai finally walked out with two plastic bags holding his personal belongings and was escorted by two men into his Mercedes Benz. About 20 minutes later cameras were pointed at the road coming up to his home in Homantin. Lai looked busy on his phone and wore headphones in the front passenger seat.

Afterwards he thanked the media for coming but said he had to leave and went into his house.

It turns out some of these conditions conditions of house arrested were suggested by Lai's lawyers, perhaps in a bid to get home home to his family for as long as possible.