Jimmy Lai: Pro-Democracy Tycoon Convicted Under Controversial National Security Law

Mon Dec 15 2025 12:38:45 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai has been found guilty of colluding with foreign entities, facing a potential life sentence under the national security law. The verdict has raised international concerns about judicial independence and freedom of expression in the region.

Jimmy Lai, a prominent pro-democracy campaigner and founder of Apple Daily, has been convicted of colluding with foreign forces under Hong Kong’s national security law. The 78-year-old, imprisoned since December 2020, pleaded not guilty and now faces a life sentence. The verdict drew mixed reactions, with critics labeling it a judicial farce while Hong Kong officials touted it as upholding national interests. Rights groups condemned the NSL as suppressing dissent, as Lai's case exemplifies the escalating crackdown on pro-democracy voices in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigner and media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been found guilty of colluding with foreign forces under the city’s controversial national security law (NSL).

The 78-year-old, who has been in jail since December 2020, pleaded not guilty. He faces life in prison and is expected to be sentenced early next year.

Lai used his now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper as part of a wider effort to lobby foreign governments to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China, the court found.

Hong Kong's chief executive John Lee welcomed the verdict, noting that Lai's actions damaged the country's interests and the welfare of Hongkongers, but rights groups called it a cruel judicial farce.

They say the NSL, which Beijing defends as essential for the city’s stability, has been used to crush dissent.

There is no doubt that Jimmy Lai harboured hatred for the People's Republic of China (PRC), Judge Esther Toh said, citing his constant invitation to the US to help bring down the government of the PRC with the excuse of helping the people of Hong Kong.

During his testimony in November, Lai denied all charges against him, stating he had never used his foreign contacts to influence foreign policy on Hong Kong.

Lai, a UK citizen and one of the fiercest critics of the Chinese state, was a key figure in the pro-democracy protests that engulfed Hong Kong in 2019. Beijing responded to the months-long demonstrations, which sometimes erupted into violent clashes with police, by introducing the NSL.

This law was enacted without consulting the Hong Kong legislature and granted authorities broad powers to charge and jail individuals deemed a threat to the city’s law and order, or the government's stability.

Monday’s ruling also found Lai guilty of publishing seditious material on Apple Daily under a separate colonial-era law.

Lai appeared calm as the verdict was read out and waved goodbye to his family as he was escorted out of the courtroom. His wife Teresa and one of his sons were present, along with Cardinal Joseph Zen, a long-time friend.

Mr Lai's spirit is okay, his lawyer Robert Pang said after the verdict. The judgement is so long that we’ll need some time to study it first. He did not indicate whether they would appeal.

Rights groups have condemned the treatment of Lai, stating that the Chinese government aims to silence all who dare criticize the Chinese Communist Party.

Western governments, including the UK and US, have called for Lai's release, which has been consistently rejected by Beijing and Hong Kong authorities.

Lai's trial has been seen as a critical test of judicial independence for Hong Kong's courts, as they are often accused of bowing to Beijing's influence.

As protests continue to rise against the NSL, Lai joins the growing list of pro-democracy figures sentenced under its sweeping provisions.