In a verdict that has sent shockwaves through Hong Kong and reverberated across the globe, Jimmy Lai, the 78-year-old former media tycoon and outspoken pro-democracy advocate, was convicted on December 15, 2025, in a high-profile national security trial. The three government-vetted judges found Lai guilty of conspiring to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiracy to publish seditious articles, marking a watershed moment in the city’s recent political history.
The case against Lai, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, unfolded under the shadow of the Beijing-imposed national security law, which was enacted in 2020 following months of massive anti-government protests in 2019. Lai, a vocal critic of Beijing and a symbol of resistance for many Hong Kongers, has already spent five years in custody, much of it in solitary confinement. His family and legal team have repeatedly raised alarms about his rapidly deteriorating health, including significant weight loss, infections, and chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart issues.
The 855-page verdict, read in a Hong Kong courtroom packed with observers and journalists, painted Lai as the mastermind behind efforts to destabilize the Chinese Communist Party. Judge Esther Toh, summarizing the court’s findings, stated that Lai had extended a “constant invitation” to the United States to help bring down the Chinese government, using the cause of helping Hong Kongers as a pretext. “There is no doubt that Lai had harboured his resentment and hatred of China for many of his adult years,” Toh declared, as reported by Reuters. The judges concluded that Lai’s intent, both before and after the security law’s implementation, was to seek the downfall of the ruling party, even at the expense of the people of China and Hong Kong.
Lai, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, testified for 52 days in his own defense. His lawyers acknowledged that he had previously called for foreign sanctions prior to the national security law’s enactment, but argued that he ceased such calls once the law was in place. The legal team contended that the case was fundamentally about freedom of expression—a point echoed by international observers and rights groups. Jonathan Price, a member of Lai’s international legal team, told CBS News, “It’s 855 pages of obfuscation, fluff, diversion with some colorful language, but no substance. It’s extraordinary that a document of that length involving a case about someone who ran a press organization doesn’t mention substantively, press freedom, freedom of speech, freedom to protest, or any human rights.”
The trial, which began in December 2023, was conducted without a jury—an unusual move in Hong Kong’s legal tradition, a legacy of its British colonial past. The case has become a litmus test for the city’s judicial independence and media freedom, both of which have come under increasing scrutiny since the introduction of the national security law. The law itself was instituted in direct response to the 2019 protests, which Beijing viewed as a direct challenge to its authority over the former British colony.
Lai’s conviction comes with the threat of a life sentence. Sentencing hearings are scheduled to begin on January 12, 2026, where Lai and other defendants will have the opportunity to argue for leniency. His lawyer, Steven Kwan, has indicated that Lai will decide whether to appeal after sentencing. However, his family and supporters worry that the appeals process could drag on for years—time that Lai, given his age and health, may not have.
Throughout his five years in detention, Lai’s health has visibly declined. His daughter, Claire Lai, speaking to CBS News in Washington, D.C., described his nails changing color and falling off, rotting teeth, and ongoing struggles with diabetes and heart palpitations. She blamed the harsh prison conditions and solitary confinement for his deterioration. “My father does not have eight years. If we wait to the end of the appeals process, there will not be a man at the end of that process,” she said. Claire, her family, and Lai’s legal team have been actively rallying international support, meeting with members of Congress and raising awareness about his plight.
The international reaction to the verdict was swift and pointed. U.S. President Donald Trump, who had previously discussed Lai’s case with Chinese President Xi Jinping, expressed his dismay: “I feel so badly. I spoke to President Xi about it, and I asked to consider his release. He’s not well. He’s an older man, and he’s not well. So I did put that request out, we’ll see what happens.” U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper echoed these concerns, stating in Parliament, “For the sake of Jimmy Lai, for his family, but also for the people of Hong Kong, for the joint Declaration we signed, and for the rule of law, we will not relent on this. Joined by nations across the world, we call again for the immediate release of Jimmy Lai.” The European Union also condemned the conviction, highlighting growing tensions between China and Western governments over Hong Kong’s autonomy and freedoms.
Beijing, however, has firmly defended both the verdict and the national security law. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun criticized what he described as the “vilification of the city’s judiciary by certain countries,” urging respect for Hong Kong’s legal system. Hong Kong leader John Lee welcomed the verdict, asserting that Lai’s actions had harmed the fundamental interests of the country. Steve Li, chief superintendent of the National Security Department, told reporters, “Lai’s conviction is justice served.”
Rights groups have condemned the trial and its outcome as a devastating blow to press freedom and democratic values in Hong Kong. Thibaut Bruttin, director general of Reporters Without Borders, declared, “It is not an individual who has been on trial—it is press freedom itself, and with this verdict that has been shattered.” Amnesty International and the Committee to Protect Journalists joined in calling for Lai’s release, while pro-democracy activists who fled the city after the 2019 protests voiced fears that the verdict would further chill dissent and independent journalism.
For many in Hong Kong, the case has come to symbolize the city’s dramatic transformation since 2019. The Apple Daily, once a bastion of pro-democracy reporting, was forced to close its doors in 2021 after a police raid and asset freeze. The Democratic Party, Hong Kong’s largest opposition group, voted to disband just one day before Lai’s verdict, underscoring the near-total disappearance of the city’s organized democratic opposition.
Despite the grim circumstances, Lai’s family remains steadfast. Claire Lai, reflecting on her father’s resilience, told CBS News, “One of the many things I’ve learned from my father is that you have to face adversity and difficulties with a certain degree of cheer and spirit. My father has shown that not even his failing health can alleviate him of the burden of truth, and that’s why he chose to take the stand for so many days.”
As Hong Kong stands at a crossroads, the world watches closely. The fate of Jimmy Lai—once a symbol of the city’s vibrant free press—now hangs in the balance, a stark reminder of the shifting tides in a city that was once a beacon of liberty in Asia.
