On December 15, 2025, the West Kowloon Law Courts Building in Hong Kong became the stage for a verdict that many say marks a turning point in the city’s political and media landscape. Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, the 78-year-old media tycoon and outspoken pro-democracy activist, was convicted of collusion with foreign forces and sedition in a high-profile national security trial. Lai, the founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily tabloid, faces a possible life sentence, capping a saga that has unfolded over more than five years and drawn international attention.
Lai’s conviction, delivered by Judges Alex Lee, Esther Toh, and Susana D’Almada Remedios, came after a marathon legal process. The trial, which began in December 2023 and stretched over 150 working days, concluded with closing arguments in August 2025. Lai, who turned 78 behind bars just a week before the verdict, has spent more than 1,800 days in solitary confinement since his initial detention in December 2020, according to Hong Kong Free Press and Nikkei Asia.
The verdict was met with a mix of anxiety, resignation, and sorrow among Lai’s supporters and former colleagues. As the judges read the decision, Lai—dressed in a green jumper and beige jacket, thick-rimmed glasses perched on his nose—smiled and waved to the public gallery, where his wife Teresa, son Lai Shun-yan, and Cardinal Joseph Zen sat. He was then led away by guards, his fate now hinging on a four-day mitigation hearing set for January 12, 2026, which will determine the length of his sentence.
For many critics, the case is emblematic of Hong Kong’s rapidly contracting freedoms under Beijing’s tightening grip. Lai’s prosecution under the Beijing-imposed national security law, which criminalizes subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces, and terrorism, is seen by some as a warning to others who might challenge the government’s authority. As Nikkei Asia reported, the trial is “seen by critics as a symbol of the financial hub’s deteriorating freedoms.”
The charges against Lai were sweeping. He was found guilty of two counts of conspiring to collude with foreign forces and a third count of sedition under colonial-era legislation. The judges accused him of using Apple Daily to lobby foreign governments for sanctions and blockades against China and Hong Kong, and of writing 161 op-eds that prosecutors said stoked hatred against authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong.
Judge Esther Toh, in her remarks to the packed courtroom, described Lai’s testimony as “evasive” and “unreliable.” She drew a striking analogy, saying his actions were akin to “an American urging Russia to topple the US government.” The judges’ written judgment, running over 850 pages, asserted that Lai’s intent was “to seek the downfall of [the Chinese Communist Party] at the cost of the interests of people in Hong Kong and mainland China.” They concluded, “This was the ultimate aim of the conspiracies and secessionist publications.”
The court found that Lai’s campaign did not stop after the security law’s enactment in 2020. “The only adaptation he made after the [national security law] was in form rather than in substance,” the judgment stated. Before the law, his calls for sanctions were “open and direct,” but afterward, they became “implicit and subtle.” Still, the judges said, “Lai’s intention to carry out his campaign remained the same as before, and he continued to act in furtherance of that campaign.”
Much of the prosecution’s case centered on Lai’s extensive foreign connections. The court noted that Lai, through his aide Mark Simon, traveled twice to Washington, DC, in 2019, where he met with then-Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to lobby for support against China and Hong Kong. The judges said Lai “affiliated himself with Western values” and had “an obsession with changing [the Chinese Communist Party’s] values to those of the Western world and counterbalancing China’s influence in the Asian region and the rest of the world.”
Supporters and onlookers gathered outside the courthouse on the day of the verdict, some carrying apples—a nod to Apple Daily and a subtle gesture of solidarity. “All of a sudden… they announced the verdict hearing on Monday,” former Apple Daily reporter Tammy Cheung told Hong Kong Free Press. “But I also felt relieved, because this case is coming to an end. After the boss [Lai], other colleagues could see an end too.”
Another former reporter, who declined to give her name, reflected on Lai’s influence: “Mr Lai has given a sense of support and encouragement to many people. He has committed to his cause despite the enormous challenges. I hope he stays well and has a chance to reunite with his family.”
The trial’s conclusion also marks the end of an era for Hong Kong’s media. Apple Daily, once a beacon for pro-democracy voices and critical reporting, was forced to cease publication on June 24, 2021, after 26 years. Its closure, following police raids and the freezing of assets, was a blow to press freedom in the city. Journalist Ronson Chan, another former Apple Daily staffer, lamented, “For the past 30 years in Hong Kong, we were able to occupy a very special place. We were able to hold a more critical view of the country and more openly seek democracy in China, and proudly engage in journalism… but I don’t think these things will appear again.”
The national security law that ensnared Lai was inserted directly into Hong Kong’s mini-constitution in June 2020, following a year of mass pro-democracy protests. The law’s broad definitions and sweeping powers have since been used to target activists, journalists, and politicians. Prosecutors in Lai’s case pointed to his international connections as evidence of his “unwavering intent” to attract foreign sanctions, and noted that he did not ask activists and politicians to stop their calls for sanctions even after the law was passed.
Lai’s defense, led by lawyer Robert Pang, argued that his remarks on social media amounted only to analysis of foreign affairs, not requests for sanctions. Pang also contended that newspaper publishers should enjoy “greater latitude” of freedom of expression, as guaranteed by Hong Kong’s constitutional right to press freedom. Despite these arguments, the court was unmoved.
Lai’s children have been vocal in seeking international support for their father’s release, warning of his deteriorating health in custody. In August, the court postponed closing arguments due to a “medical issue” with Lai’s heart, with his lawyers reporting he had experienced heart palpitations during the trial. Hong Kong authorities, however, have denied any mistreatment, insisting that Lai has received appropriate medical care.
The verdict against Jimmy Lai closes a lengthy and dramatic chapter in Hong Kong’s recent history. As the city’s political climate continues to shift, the fate of its most prominent dissident—and the freedoms he championed—remains a matter of global attention.
