Hong Kong pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai, 78, convicted of collusion and sedition under national security law; trial seen as test of press freedom.
Newsroom (15/12/2025 Gaudium Press ) Jimmy Lai, the prominent pro-democracy media mogul and outspoken critic of Beijing, was convicted Monday in a landmark national security trial that could result in life imprisonment for the 78-year-old founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper.
In a verdict delivered by a panel of three government-vetted judges in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Court, Lai was found guilty of conspiring with others to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiracy to publish seditious articles. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The trial, which spanned 156 days and was conducted without a jury, has drawn intense international scrutiny as a measure of judicial independence and media freedom in Hong Kong, the former British colony that reverted to Chinese rule in 1997.
Presiding Judge Esther Toh, reading from an 855-page verdict, described Lai as having spent years plotting against Beijing. She stated that Lai had extended a “constant invitation” to the United States to help bring down the Chinese government, under the pretext of aiding Hong Kong residents.
Although Lai’s defense team acknowledged that he had called for sanctions prior to the imposition of the national security law, they argued he ceased such calls to comply with the legislation. However, the judges ruled that Lai never wavered in his intent to destabilize the Chinese Communist Party, continuing his efforts “though in a less explicit way.”
The court concluded that Lai was the mastermind behind the alleged conspiracies, deeming his testimony at times contradictory and unreliable. The judges determined that the evidence pointed to Lai’s sole aim being the downfall of the ruling party, even at the potential cost to the people of China and Hong Kong. “This was the ultimate aim of the conspiracies and secessionist publications,” the verdict stated.
Lai was arrested in August 2020 under the Beijing-imposed national security law, enacted following the massive anti-government protests of 2019. He has spent much of the past five years in custody, including extended periods in solitary confinement, during which he has been convicted of several lesser offenses. Observers noted that Lai appeared increasingly frail and thinner throughout the proceedings.
Prosecutors accused Lai of conspiring with senior Apple Daily executives and others to request foreign entities to impose sanctions, blockades, or other hostile actions against Hong Kong and China. Evidence included Lai’s 2019 meetings with then-U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as well as 161 publications from Apple Daily, social media posts, and text messages.
Lai testified in his defense for 52 days, maintaining that he did not advocate for foreign sanctions after the law’s enactment in June 2020. His legal team emphasized arguments related to freedom of expression.
The Apple Daily, known for its vocal criticism of the Hong Kong government and Beijing, was forced to close in 2021 after police raids on its newsroom, arrests of senior journalists, and the freezing of its assets.
Sentencing is pending, with the collusion charge carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Mitigation hearings involving Lai and other defendants are scheduled to begin January 12.
Concerns about Lai’s health emerged during the marathon trial. His lawyers reported heart palpitations in August, and after the verdict, attorney Robert Pang said Lai was in okay spirits as the team reviewed the judgment.
Prior to the ruling, Lai’s daughter Claire described her father as having grown weaker, losing nails and teeth, and suffering from prolonged infections, back pain, diabetes, heart issues, and high blood pressure. “His spirit is strong but his body is failing,” she told The Associated Press.
Hong Kong authorities stated that medical examinations found no abnormalities following Lai’s heart complaints and affirmed that adequate medical services had been provided. Outside the court, Steve Li, chief superintendent of the police’s National Security Department, disputed claims of deteriorating health, declaring the conviction “justice served.”
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee described Lai’s actions as harming the country’s fundamental interests, labeling his intentions malicious.
In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun expressed firm opposition to what was termed vilification of Hong Kong’s judiciary by certain countries, urging respect for the city’s legal system.
The case has strained diplomatic relations, with U.S. President Donald Trump stating he raised it with China, and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer prioritizing the release of Lai, a British citizen.
Among those in attendance for the verdict were Lai’s wife and son, as well as Hong Kong’s Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen, a fellow practicing Catholic like Lai. As he was escorted out, Lai pressed his lips and nodded to his family.
Dozens of residents queued outside the court before dawn to secure seats. Former Apple Daily employee Tammy Cheung, arriving at 5 a.m., expressed concern for Lai’s condition and relief that the case would soon conclude, though she felt the process had been rushed after the verdict date was announced just days earlier.
Rights organizations condemned the outcome. Reporters Without Borders director general Thibaut Bruttin stated, “It is not an individual who has been on trial — it is press freedom itself, and with this verdict that has been shattered.” Amnesty International also criticized the decision.
Lai, already serving a sentence of five years and nine months from a 2022 fraud conviction related to lease violations, plus other protest-related cases, now faces the prospect of spending the remainder of his life behind bars.
- Raju Hasmukh with files form Crux Now
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