By Blessing Nweke
Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong activist and media mogul who became one of the most prominent faces of the city’s pro-democracy movement, was convicted Monday in a landmark national security trial that has drawn intense international scrutiny and underscored Beijing’s sweeping crackdown on dissent.
Lai, 78, was found guilty of two counts of colluding with foreign forces under Hong Kong’s Beijing-imposed national security law, as well as conspiracy to publish seditious materials under a colonial-era statute. He faces a possible life sentence, with sentencing to be scheduled later. Lai is allowed to appeal.
The case stems from Lai’s role during and after the 2019 pro-democracy protests, which at times turned violent and posed the most serious challenge to Beijing’s authority over Hong Kong since the territory’s 1997 handover from Britain. Lai was arrested in 2020, shortly after the national security law took effect, and has since spent nearly five years in solitary confinement.
The 156-day trial, which began in December 2023, was heard by three judges specially designated to handle national security cases. Western governments and human rights groups have criticized the proceedings as politically motivated. The United States and Britain have repeatedly called for Lai’s release, citing concerns over press freedom and judicial independence.
President Donald Trump has vowed to “free” Lai, a British citizen, and discussed his case with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in South Korea last year, according to a White House official. Hong Kong leader John Lee has warned foreign governments against interfering in the city’s internal affairs.
Prosecutors portrayed Lai as the “mastermind” of an effort to lobby foreign governments, including the United States, to impose sanctions on China and Hong Kong. They also accused him of using Apple Daily, the pro-democracy tabloid he founded in 1995, to publish articles inciting hatred against authorities. Lai denied the allegations, saying he was expressing opinions based on facts.
The Hong Kong and Chinese governments maintain that Lai received a fair trial and say the verdict demonstrates the rule of law. Critics argue the case has further chilled dissent in a city once promised broad freedoms for 50 years after its return to Chinese rule.
Original article
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