Hong Kong Media Mogul Jimmy Lai Convicted In Landmark National Security Trial

Last Updated:December 15, 2025, 09:08 IST

Jimmy Lai, Hong Kong pro-democracy media mogul, was found guilty of two foreign collusion charges and one seditious publication charge.

Pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai was found guilty on two counts of foreign collusion and of seditious publication by a court in Hong Kong on Monday. The Hong Kong pro-democracy figure was facing one of the highest-profile national security trials.

Lai, who had founded the now-shut Apple Daily newspaper, has been in jail since 2020. Prosecutors accused 78-year-old Lai of being the mastermind behind two conspiracies to ask foreign countries to impose “sanctions or blockade" or take “hostile activities" against Hong Kong or China.

They accused him of publishing materials that “excited disaffection" against the government.

“There is no doubt that (Lai) had harboured his resentment and hatred of the PRC for many of his adult years, and this is apparent in his articles," Judge Esther Toh told the court, using the acronym of the People’s Republic of China.

The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned Jimmy Lai’s conviction by a Hong Kong court as a “sham" and said it was an example of eroding political freedoms under the national security law Beijing imposed on Hong Kong following huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019.

A report by news agency AFP said that Lai was wearing a light green cardigan and grey jacket and looked impassive as the verdicts were read out. He sat with folded arms and did not speak.

Lai now faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and will be sentenced at a later date. He can appeal the charges.

Who Is Jimmy Lai?

Jimmy Lai is one of Hong Kong’s most prominent pro-democracy figures and a long-time critic of the Chinese government. He is the founder of Next Digital, the media group that published Apple Daily, a tabloid newspaper that openly supported Hong Kong’s democracy movement and was sharply critical of Beijing.

Born in mainland China in 1947, Lai fled to Hong Kong as a teenager and built a business empire from scratch, later becoming a vocal advocate of civil liberties, free press and democratic reforms. His outspoken support for the 2019 pro-democracy protests made him a central target for authorities after China imposed the Security Law on Hong Kong in 2020.

The 78-year-old once described himself as a “born rebel". He defied the Chinese Communist Party for years while amassing millions from his clothing and media empires.

Lai’s case is often compared to situations where media owners or editors face legal action for political dissent. Supporters see him as a symbol of press freedom, while Beijing describes him as a foreign-backed destabilising force.

Jimmy Lai Case: Key Timeline

2019: Hong Kong sees massive pro-democracy protests. Apple Daily strongly backs the movement.2020: China imposes the Security Law on Hong Kong. Lai is arrested multiple times under new security provisions.2021: Apple Daily is forced to shut down after authorities freeze its assets.2022–2024: Lai remains in custody as multiple cases proceed through the courts.December 2025: Hong Kong court finds Lai guilty on two charges of foreign collusion and one charge of seditious publication, in a ruling that draws condemnation from Western governments.

US, UK Condemn Move

The case has grown into a wedge between Beijing and many Western nations, with US President Donald Trump reportedly calling for Lai’s release during a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in October.

The British government has repeatedly described the prosecution of Lai, a British citizen, as “politically motivated".

Lai is a British citizen, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces pressure from rights groups to secure his release.

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