Jimmy Lai, the founder of Next Digital, has resigned as the chairman of the company while he faces multiple charges. He was recently prosecuted under the new national security law imposed by the Chinese regime on Hong Kong. Experts fear that Lai could be extradited to mainland China for trial and they call on the Hong Kong government to exercise judicial independence from Beijing. Next Digital, founded in 1995 and previously known as Next Media, released a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Dec. 29, saying Lai has stepped down from his positions as chairman and executive director “in order to spend more time dealing with his personal affairs.” The company also announced that director Ip Yut Kin will replace Lai as chairman. Lai, 72, is a prominent pro-democracy figure in Hong Kong. The Apple Daily newspaper that his company owns is one of the few remaining media …