The Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Tuesday morning upheld a Justice Department challenge to a High Court's decision to grant bail to Jimmy Lai Chee-ying.

Lai is awaiting trial on charges of colluding with foreign or external forces and violation of the national security law for the HKSAR.

On December 23 last year, Lai applied to the High Court of the HKSAR for bail and succeeded. The Department of Justice of the HKSAR government later applied to the Court of Final Appeal for leave to appeal and requested that Lai be remanded in custody pending the issuance of the appeal verdict.

The Court of Final Appeal granted leave for the appeal application on December 31 last year and ordered Lai's return to prison pending the hearing.

(With input from Xinhua)