Name: Guilty verdict for Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai
Uploaded: 2025-12-16T02:22:32.180Z
Duration: 2 min 33 s
Description: A court in Hong Kong has convicted former media mogul and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai under China’s national security law. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit sedition and colluding with foreign forces.

A court in Hong Kong has convicted former media mogul and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai under China’s national security law. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit sedition and colluding with foreign forces.

Stanley Peninsula

A Hong Kong court has found pro-democracy activist and media tycoon Jimmy Lai guilty of collaborating with foreign forces to endanger national security and of publishing seditious articles through his newspaper, Apple Daily. Lai, who has been imprisoned since 2020 and has reportedly suffered declining health, now awaits sentencing and could face life imprisonment.

The case has drawn significant international attention, with Hong Kong officials welcoming the verdict and Lai's family criticizing the proceedings from abroad. Lai was a prominent figure in the 2019 pro-democracy protests and was arrested under the national security law, which grants authorities broad powers to detain individuals deemed threats to law and order.

Guilty verdict for Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai

A police truck took Jimmy Lai to receive his verdict at a Hong Kong court. His case has been followed closely in Hong Kong and internationally. Family members arrived to witness the court session, the latest for Lai, who has been in prison since 2020. His son Sebastian Lai followed events from London. We're almost five years in. He's spent the whole time in solitary confinement. His health has rapidly declined. In fact, I was quite heartbroken to hear from my sister about all the reports, what she was saying about his nails falling off, his muscles getting affected, his heart issues. This footage shows Lai in the offices of his Beijing critical newspaper Apple Daily that he founded. He was a key figure in Hong Kong's 2019 pro-democracy protests. Later, he was arrested under the national security law, which gave authorities sweeping powers to detain anyone deemed a threat to Hong Kong's law and order. Lai knew he could be targeted. I have to go on. My family, my wife, may have to leave. But if I leave, I will totally disgrace myself. I cannot do that. You know, if I leave, not only I disgrace myself, I discredit Apple Daily and also undermine the solidarity of the democratic movement. It's something I have to take responsibility. Back at the Hong Kong court, Lai was found guilty of working with foreign forces to endanger national security and of using Apple Daily to publish seditious articles. Hong Kong officials welcomed the verdict. And in London, Lai's son wasn't surprised. It shows Hong Kong as a place that's willing to vindictively, and I say vindictively because there's no evidence in my father's case where he has broken this law, even this incredibly broad law, to vindictively use his legal system to attack and torture people that they don't like. Jimmy Lai now faces sentencing and could be jailed for life.

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