Jimmy Lai, the outspoken pro-democracy media entrepreneur and longtime critic of Beijing, was convicted Monday in a landmark national security case in Hong Kong, a ruling that could see him spend the rest of his life in prison.
A panel of three handpicked judges found the 78-year-old guilty of conspiring to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security, as well as conspiring to publish seditious materials. Lai had denied all the charges.
Lai was first arrested in August 2020 under the sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing following the massive 2019 anti-government protests. He has remained in custody for nearly five years and has already been jailed over several lesser offenses, during which time he has appeared increasingly frail.
His wife, son and Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen were present in court as Lai briefly acknowledged his family before being led away by guards.
The closely watched, jury-free trial has drawn intense international scrutiny from the United States, Britain and the European Union, with observers viewing it as a key test of press freedom and judicial independence in the former British colony. The verdict also carries diplomatic implications, with U.S. President Donald Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer both saying they have raised Lai’s case with Beijing.
Lai, founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper, faces a possible life sentence under the national security law, while the sedition conviction carries a maximum two-year term. A mitigation hearing is scheduled to begin Jan. 12.
Prosecutors accused Lai of orchestrating efforts to seek foreign sanctions against Hong Kong and China, citing meetings with senior U.S. officials in 2019 and dozens of Apple Daily articles, messages and social media posts as evidence. The court ruled Lai was the central figure behind the conspiracies.
Throughout the 156-day trial, Lai testified in his own defense and argued for freedom of expression, though concerns over his deteriorating health were repeatedly raised.
Apple Daily was forced to shut down in 2021 after police raids and asset freezes. Lai was previously sentenced to five years and nine months in a separate fraud case and has also been convicted over his role in unauthorized assemblies linked to the 2019 protests.
Source: AP