A British-Japanese businessman turned media figure, Jimmy Lai, has been found guilty on national security offenses in Hong Kong.
Lai, 78 and a long-time British citizen, was arrested in August 2020 after Beijing imposed a national security law in the wake of large-scale anti-government protests in Hong Kong.
At West Kowloon Law Courts Building, Sky News’ Asia correspondent Helen-Ann Smith observed Lai appeared visibly worn as the verdict was announced.
Previously, Lai had already received multiple sentences for lesser offenses during his five years in custody.
The founder of the now-closed pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily faced two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security and one count of conspiracy to distribute seditious publications. He was found guilty on all three charges and could face a life sentence in the future.
His trial, conducted before three judges appointed by the government without a jury, has drawn intense international attention. Observers from the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union, and other analysts have watched closely as a gauge of media freedom and judicial independence in the former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
In response to the verdict, Mark Sabah, the UK and Europe director of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, stated that the outcome was not surprising and criticized what he described as a politically motivated show trial designed to erode Hong Kong’s status as an international legal hub. He argued that the British government has not done enough to defend one of its own citizens and warned that prioritizing trade with the Chinese government over the rule of law, press freedom, and the safety of British nationals abroad sends a troubling message.
Sabah also suggested that the case marks the end of a prolonged, contentious period and urged continued advocacy for freedom and justice for all political prisoners in Hong Kong.
The UK government has yet to issue an official response to the verdict.
Lai has spent more than 1,800 days in solitary confinement, a condition his family says has deteriorated his health, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart palpitations.
In August, Lai’s son, Sebastien, told Sky News that without intervention from the British government—of which Lai remains a citizen—his father could die in jail. He added that Lai’s death would not only be a personal tragedy but a significant political setback for both Hong Kong authorities and Beijing.
“You can’t claim you uphold the rule of law, a free press, and the values that support a global financial hub while my father remains imprisoned,” he said. If Lai dies, Sebastien warned, it would mark a grim moment for Hong Kong as an international financial center.
This is a developing story, with updates forthcoming as more details become available.
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