An activist holds a placard highlighting China's Tiananmen Square massacre as pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai arrives at West Kowloon Magistrates' Court in Hong Kong in November. Photo: Isaac Wong/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai is being detained until an April court hearing after the pro-democracy supporter was charged Thursday with fraud, per his Apple Daily news outlet.
Why it matters: The 72-year-old's arrest and denial of bail is another blow for the pro-democracy movement in the former British colony amid concerns about a fresh crackdown on activists.
- Pro-democracy campaigners Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow and Ivan Lam were sentenced to prison Wednesday over last year's massive protests.
- Lai became in August the most prominent person to be arrested under the Chinese territory's national security law that gives Beijing more powers over Hong Kong.
Of note: Lai's latest arrest, along with two other senior executives from media company Next Digital, is related to the "illegal use of his company's premises," the BBC notes.
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