Jimmy Lai Convicted on National Security Charges in Hong Kong
Hong Kong – Businessman and activist Jimmy Lai has been found guilty on three charges by a Hong Kong national security court. The verdict, issued more than five years after his initial arrest in 2020, was delivered in a courtroom attended by Lai's family and Cardinal Joseph Zen.
Charges and Verdict
Judge Esther Toh ruled Lai guilty on two counts of colluding with foreign forces. These charges stem from allegations that Lai sought meetings with foreign officials, including American leaders, and advocated for sanctions against China. Additionally, Lai was convicted of sedition under a colonial-era law.
A date for Lai's sentencing is yet to be announced. Lai's defense team has not issued a statement regarding the verdict.
Reactions to the Verdict
Pro-democracy activist organizations and several Western governments have expressed criticism of the verdict. The United Kingdom is among those that have called for Lai's immediate release.
Frances Hui, policy and advocacy coordinator for the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, commented, "The Hong Kong court has been compromised and has been politicized in the past five years. I think this trial or this verdict is another stamp of proof that the court system is no longer the system that we once respected."
Context of the National Security Law
Lai was initially arrested in August 2020 under a national security law imposed by Beijing in Hong Kong. This law was implemented following mass anti-government protests in 2019, in which Lai had participated. The national security law allows for penalties including life imprisonment for a range of behaviors categorized as dissent.
Critics of the law assert that it has significantly curtailed dissent within the region.
Other individuals recently charged or sentenced under the national security law include:
- Student leader Joshua Wong, who faced new charges while already incarcerated for political activism.
- 45 lawmakers and activists, who received prison sentences of up to ten years in 2024 on national security charges.
Lai's trial, which began in 2023, has garnered international attention. Beijing has maintained that Lai played a significant role in organizing the 2019 anti-Beijing demonstrations. He is the only defendant in his specific case who did not plead guilty.
Finn Lau, a Hong Kong political activist who previously worked with Lai and was implicated in his national security case, stated, "He believed there must be someone to stay behind to show the rest of the world that Hong Kongers are willing to stand up to the Chinese Communist Party no matter how huge the cost will be."
Imprisonment and Health
Prior to this verdict, Lai had completed two consecutive 14-month prison terms for charges related to earlier protests.
Family members have reported that Lai, a Catholic, has found support in his faith and scripture study during his incarceration. He has spent over 1,800 days in solitary confinement, much of which, according to the Hong Kong government, was at his own request. His family also reports that Lai's health has deteriorated over the past five years, citing advanced diabetes and heart palpitations exacerbated by prison conditions.
Background
Lai's career began as a child stowaway in Hong Kong, leading to his establishment as a prominent businessman in fast fashion. He later transitioned into media, co-founding Apple Daily, a newspaper that was subsequently raided by authorities and ceased operations in 2021. Nine editors and writers from Apple Daily were later arrested under the National Security Law.