Jimmy Lai, a former Hong Kong media executive who advocates for democracy and has been a vocal opponent of Beijing, was found guilty in a significant national security case on Monday, potentially leading to a life sentence.
Three judges approved by the government determined that Lai, 78, was guilty of collaborating with others to conspire with foreign entities in a manner that threatens national security, as well as of planning to publish seditious articles. He maintained his innocence and denied all accusations.
Lai was detained in August 2020 under a national security law enforced by Beijing, which came into effect after large-scale demonstrations against the government in 2019.
He helped establish Apple Daily, a prominent critic of the Hong Kong administration and Beijing, which was compelled to close in 2021 following a police raid on its office and the arrest of its top journalists, with officials seizing its assets.
Citing an 855-page ruling, Judge Esther Toh stated that Lai had offered a “continuous invitation” to the US to assist in toppling the Chinese government under the pretext of supporting Hong Kong residents.
Lai’s legal team acknowledged in court that he had previously advocated for sanctions prior to the law being enacted, yet maintained that he ceased these requests to adhere to the legislation.
However, the judges determined that Lai had never abandoned his goal of undermining the Chinese Communist Party’s rule, “maintaining it albeit in a more subtle manner.”
The trial, held without a jury, has drawn significant attention from the US, Britain, the European Union, and political analysts, serving as an indicator of media freedom and judicial independence in the former British colony that reverted to Chinese control in 1997.
His judgment also serves as a test for Beijing’s international relations. US President Donald Trump mentioned that he has discussed the case with China, while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that his government has prioritized securing Lai’s release, who is a British national.
Rights groups denounce verdict
Over the course of Lai’s 156-day trial, prosecutors alleged that he colluded with top officials from Apple Daily and others to seek assistance from foreign entities in imposing sanctions or blockades and carrying out other antagonistic actions against Hong Kong or China.
The prosecution also charged Lai with making these kinds of requests, emphasizing his meetings with former US Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in July 2019 during the peak of the demonstrations.
It also submitted 161 publications, including pieces from Apple Daily, to the court as proof, along with social media updates and text messages.
Lai provided testimony for 52 days during his own defense, claiming that he did not advocate for foreign sanctions following the comprehensive security law enacted in June 2020.
Human rights organizations, such as the international media monitoring group Reporters Without Borders and Amnesty International, criticized the ruling.
“It is not a single person who has faced trial — it is the freedom of the press itself, and this judgment has broken it,” said Thibaut Bruttin, director general of Reporters Without Borders.
The trial of Lai was among the final active national security cases after Hong Kong’s 2019 large-scale protest movement. Last year, 45 prominent activists from the pro-democracy movement received prison sentences under the same national security law.
Many activists, legal professionals, and politicians have been chased down, imprisoned, or compelled to leave their country.
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