Hong Kong Media Tycoon Jimmy Lai’s Conviction Was Years in the Making

Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong media tycoon and outspoken critic of Beijing, was found guilty of national security crimes by a Hong Kong court on Monday. The verdict follows years of condemnation by the Chinese Communist Party.

The conviction, delivered through Hong Kong's judicial system which retains some independence from its time under British rule, was widely expected. For years, China's leaders and their supporters in Hong Kong have denounced the 78-year-old Mr. Lai as a traitor and a criminal. He was also labeled the ringleader of a subversive group that they called the “gang of four,” who they insisted should face severe punishment.

The charges against Lai included two counts of conspiring with foreign entities to encourage sanctions against Hong Kong. He was also convicted of publishing materials deemed seditious within the former British colony. Lai was already serving time in prison on separate fraud convictions.

Even five years ago, the pressure on Lai was evident. After his arrest and brief release on bail, a group identifying themselves as Chinese “patriots” gathered outside his Kowloon home. They displayed banners that warned that “traitors who bring disaster to Hong Kong will not have a good end.”