Jimmy Lai pushes through media after being released on bail in Hong Kong on August 12. Photo: AFP

The clearing of a charge of intimidation against  a journalist in 2017 on Thursday doesn't make Hong Kong secessionist media tycoon Jimmy Lai a free man, legal experts said, since the so-called "spiritual leader of the free press" still faces at least six other charges, including breaching the national security law for collusion with external forces.

The court on Thursday ruled regarding the charge of intimidating a journalist from Oriental Press Group in June 2017 in Victoria Park. Some groups in front of the court presented petitions, calling for the punishment of Lai with at least two years in prison, while shouting slogans calling him a "traitor," "harmful to young people" and "harmful to Hong Kong." 

But the judge found Lai's actions did not constitute the crime of intimidating a journalist. The judge said the psychological problems experienced by the journalist who was threatened by Lai three years ago may not have a direct link with him. 

The ruling led many to express their discontent online.

Tian Feilong, a Hong Kong affairs expert at Beihang University in Beijing, told the Global Times on Thursday that the charge of intimidating a journalist was the lightest charge against Lai and the result was within expectations. 

The Global Times found the media tycoon, founder of Apple Daily, faces at least other six charges. 

"We shall not expect to see Lai be punished in these local cases since the justice system in Hong Kong has an inclination toward the rights of the rebellious, which means Lai is likely to be found innocent of some other charges as well, but he would find it hard to escape from the national security law," Tian said. 

Lai was arrested on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security on August 10. He is free on bail but cannot leave Hong Kong.

"The appointment of judges in handling cases of national security as the National Security Law for Hong Kong stipulates will make sure Lai has the fairest sentence," Tian said, adding that it would take at least half a year for the case to finish. 

Granting Lai conditional bail does not mean he now is free, and the possibility that the central government's office for safeguarding national security will oversee and provide guidance in the case can't be ruled out, the Global Times learned from police sources and legal experts previously. http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1197492.shtml 

The 72-year-old riot leader Lai facesfive criminal cases involving at least seven charges, including the accusation of threatening the journalist mentioned above. 

Lai and 14 other opposition figures were charged for organizing, participating in and inciting others to join illegal assemblies from August to October 2019. Among the four assemblies involving 15 defendants, Lai was involved in three of them.

In June, Lai and 12 other riot supporters were summoned to appear before the court in Hong Kong on the same charges. The trial has been postponed to September 15, pending further police inquiries.

On August 10, Lai and nine other secessionists were arrested for breaching the national security law for Hong Kong on suspicion of collusion with foreign forces, fraud and sedition. He was later released on bail and left the Mong Kok police station on August 12. Bail was set at HK$500,000 ($64,507) and his assets worth HK$50 million were frozen, according to local media reports. His travel documents were confiscated by local authorities. 

Lai reported to the Mong Kok police station with Albert Ho Chun-yan at around 1 pm on September 1, and the two activists were reported to have remained silent during the whole process.