Jimmy Lai during an interview in 2020.Image: keystone
A Hong Kong court has found publisher Jimmy Lai guilty of national security violations.
Dec 15, 2025, 04:32Dec 15, 2025, 04:32
The judges found the founder of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily to be proven guilty of conspiring to collaborate with foreign forces and publish seditious publications, according to the verdict.
The sentence will only be announced later. However, a time for this has not yet been set. In the worst case scenario, Lai faces a life sentence. The publisher had pleaded not guilty to a total of three charges in the proceedings – two of which involved collaboration with foreign forces.
Relatives of Jimmy Lai at the trial in Hong Kong.Image: keystone
Concern for Lai’s health
The judiciary had accused Lai of violating the controversial security law, for which other pro-democracy activists had already been convicted. The judges’ decision therefore came as little surprise. In any case, Lai has been in prison for more than five years because he has already been sentenced to prison terms in other cases.
Recently, his supporters have become increasingly concerned about Lai’s health. On the day of the trial, numerous police officers patrolled outside the court in the West Kowloon district. In addition to Lai’s relatives, foreign diplomats were also on site, photos showed.
Criticism of judgment
Human rights activists criticized the verdict. “Foreign governments should respond to the farcical nature of Jimmy Lai’s trial by pushing for the quashing of the trial and his immediate release,” said Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
The media mogul, who also has a British passport, founded the pro-democracy Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily, which was forcibly closed in 2021 after authorities investigated violations of security law.
New law after protests
The security law in the former British crown colony is aimed at pro-democracy opposition and activities that Beijing sees as subversive, separatist, terrorist or conspiratorial. It came into force in 2020 in response to large demonstrations for more democracy. (sda/dpa)