He's a prominent critic of Beijing and is the most high profile person to be charged under Hong Kong's national security law.

Lie was detained in early December, then released on bail for about a week before he was brought back into custody for another hearing at the end of last year.

The court pointed to an article in the National Security Law, which says that the bail won't be given unless quote the judge has sufficient grounds for believing that they will not continue to commit acts endangering national security.

Beijing imposed the sweeping national security law last summer to punish anything China considers subversive with upto life in prison.

Critics say it is aimed at crushing dissent, and it erodes freedoms in the semiautonomous Chinese world city.

Its supporters say it restores stability after months of unrest during the city's anti government protests.

In 2019 when Lie was arrested under the law last year, nearly 200 police officers raided the newsroom of his Apple Daily newspaper.

Prosecutors say lie illegally requested foreign intervention in statements he made last summer.

The tycoon has been a frequent visitor to Washington D.

C, meeting with the likes of former U.

S.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to rally support for Hong Kong democracy.