Pro-democracy detainee Andy Li appears to have been involuntarily assigned to a defense lawyer not of his own choosing, as indicated by his family.

Li, 30, faces three criminal charges, including collusion with foreign forces to jeopardize state security. On Wednesday, his case was up for mention in a Hong Kong court for the second time in just over a week.

He was absent again from the session, held at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts. The defendant has been under mandatory quarantine since being returned to Hong Kong on March 22 at the end of seven months’ jail in the neighboring Chinese city of Shenzhen.

The required quarantine would cease on April 4, prosecutors told the court. Chief Magistrate Victor So, who was among jurists selected by the chief executive to hear national security cases, adjourned the session to the afternoon of April 7.

Li was represented by barrister Lawrence Law in court. The twin sister of Li later told Apple Daily that Law was not the defense lawyer appointed by the family.

She said she knew about this person only through media reports, and that in her past correspondence with Li, he did not mention appointing Law.

“According to a letter from him, he asked the family to help arrange a defense lawyer when he returned to Hong Kong,” she said, but declined to name the lawyer engaged by the family.

When asked if Law’s appointment had been arranged by the authorities, the sister said it was very different from Li’s own wishes. “I don’t think he would have made such an appointment without any pressure.”

Records showed that Law was the subject of three complaints lodged in 2005 and 2007. He came under investigation by the Hong Kong Bar Association and was suspended from practicing for two months and four months respectively for professional misconduct.

Li’s whereabouts continue to remain unclear, though he was believed to have met with Law. He was said to be held in solitary confinement at Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre, Apple Daily reported earlier, citing unnamed sources.

Outside court, Law declined to disclose his client’s location. He had not been answering calls to his mobile phone, and Apple Daily tried to contact the lawyer by ringing up his office, Olympia Chambers. A staffer of the law firm warned the newspaper that they would report to the police if the calls continued.

Law was quoted in news reports as saying “sorry, I can’t talk too much,” when asked whether Li had appointed him for legal representation.

Li served time in Shenzhen for illegally crossing the Hong Kong-mainland boundary with 11 others in August last year. His current charges in Hong Kong include conspiracy to assist an offender and possession of ammunition without a license.

Separately, in a case of subversion under national security legislation, two other Hong Kong democrats announced discontinuing their attempts at bail, the West Kowloon court heard on Wednesday.

Gordon Ng told the magistrate that he wanted to discuss with his lawyer before making any decision on whether to carry on with further bail appeals.

Former lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting gave up his right to review the court’s bail decision every eight days.

As he appeared in court, Lam scanned the public gallery and nodded in response when a member of the public showed him a heart-shaped hand gesture. He waved his hands and indicated an OK sign when leaving the courtroom.

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