Jimmy Lai, a former Hong Kong media mogul, was found guilty on Monday of two counts of foreign collusion and one count of seditious publication. The verdict came on Monday in a high-profile case that drew condemnation from Western countries.
“There is no doubt that (Lai) has never wavered in his intention to destabilize the (Chinese Communist Party) government,” Supreme Court Justice Esther Toh said in a statement quoted by AFP.
The court said “the ultimate cost was to sacrifice the interests of the people” of China and Hong Kong.
A Hong Kong court handed down its verdict on Monday in the trial of Jimmy Lai, an outspoken critic of Beijing.
Lai, 78, who was arrested in 2020, was charged with conspiracy to commit rebellion and colluding with foreign forces. He was being held under a national security law that Chinese authorities put in place to quell the massive anti-government protests that rocked the city in 2019.
Lai’s 156-day trial was closely watched by foreign governments and political observers as a test of judicial independence and media freedom in the former British colony.
Here’s what you should know about the landmark case:
1. Lai was arrested as China tightened its grip on Hong Kong
Hong Kong has long been known for its vibrant press scene and protest culture in Asia. But after months of anti-government protests that brought hundreds of thousands to the streets, Beijing launched a sweeping crackdown that froze the city’s most outspoken dissent.
Lai was one of the first prominent figures charged under the National Security Act, which has also been used to prosecute other leading activists and opposition politicians. Beijing saw the law as key to the city’s stability.
Dozens of civil society groups have closed as tens of thousands of young professionals and middle-class families emigrated to destinations such as Britain, Canada, Taiwan, Australia and the United States.
2. Lai’s newspaper was known for its fiercely pro-democracy stance
Lai, a rags-to-riches tycoon who previously owned the Giordano clothing chain, entered the media world after the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989.
He described himself as driven by the belief that providing information equals providing freedom. His paper gained a strong following for tabloid coverage of politics and celebrities, as well as a strong pro-democracy stance. She often encouraged her readers to join the protests.
3. Lai himself has also taken to the streets, including in protests in 2019.
Lai was arrested under the Security Act in August 2020 when about 200 police officers raided the Apple Daily building. He has been in custody since December 2020.
Within a year, authorities used the same law to arrest Apple Daily executives, raid its offices again, and freeze $2.3 million in its assets, effectively forcing the paper out of business. The last issue of the paper sold out within hours, with readers snapping up all 1 million copies.
4. Authorities accused Lai of trying to impose sanctions on China
The most serious charge against Lai was that he and others had invited the US and other foreign powers to intervene against China with sanctions or other measures “under the guise of fighting for freedom and democracy”.
One of the main issues was whether Lai made such calls after the security law came into effect. Lai did not deny that he had previously called for sanctions, but insisted that he would stop once the law came into effect.
Prosecutors alleged that although Lai did not directly request sanctions after the law took effect, he tried to “create a false impression” about China to justify foreign countries imposing the punishment, pointing to articles and his online comments critical of Hong Kong and China.
Lai’s lawyer, Robert Pang, said his remarks were just an apprenticeship, akin to chatter “over a dim sum table.”
Lai said he wrote “without any sense of hostility or intention to be inflammatory”. Pang also urged the court to consider freedom of expression, accusing the prosecution of treating human rights as a foreign concept, leading to heated exchanges.
“It’s not wrong to support free speech. It’s not wrong to support human rights,” he said. “It is not wrong to not love a particular administration or even a country.
Justice Esther Toh responded that “it’s not wrong not to love the government, but if you do it by some nefarious means, then it’s wrong.
5. Laia’s foreign contacts came under attack
Prosecutors also looked into Lai’s foreign contacts, including meetings he had with former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and then-Vice President Mike Pence at the height of the 2019 protests.
Prosecutor Anthony Chau said Lai’s foreign contacts showed his “unwavering intent to seek” sanctions, blockades or other hostile activities against China and Hong Kong.
The indictment also alleged that Lai conspired with Apple Daily colleagues, members of an advocacy group called “Hong Kong Freedom Struggle” and the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance for China to call for foreign action.
Six Apple Daily executives involved in the case pleaded guilty in 2022, and some of them served as prosecution witnesses.
Two other alleged co-conspirators linked to the “Stand with Hong Kong” group also testified against Lai, but the legal team called one of them a “serial liar” and argued that even if his testimony was accepted, it did not prove that Lai had agreed to work with them as alleged.
Outside the courtroom, the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance for China, an international political group critical of China, said in a statement that it rejected “false claims” regarding Lai’s involvement in its network.
6. Foreign governments are following the case
Lai, a British citizen, has raised concerns with foreign governments, including the US and the UK – both of which have called for his release. US President Donald Trump said he had raised the case with China, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his government had made securing Laia’s release a priority.
However, Beijing has labeled Lai an “agent and pawn of anti-China foreign forces”, naming him as the master planner of the destructive activities in the city.
Controversy arose even before his trial began. Lai’s trial, originally scheduled to begin in December 2022, was delayed until 2023 as authorities barred a British lawyer from representing Lai, citing that it would likely pose a risk to national security.
7. Lai says his health is deteriorating, but he could face life in prison
In August, Pang said Lai experienced palpitations and was given a heart monitor. His children raised concerns about his deteriorating health. The government said Laia’s medical examination found no abnormalities following his heart problems and that the medical care he received in custody was adequate.
The Security Act allows for a range of sentences depending on the seriousness of the offense and the defendant’s role in it, from three years for less serious offenses to 10 years to life for those convicted of “serious” offences.
If Lai is convicted, sentencing is expected at a later date. He can appeal against the result.
(With input from the Associated Press)
