Jimmy Lai Is Found Guilty in Hong Kong Court: Live Updates

Jimmy Lai, the founder of the now-closed Chinese-language newspaper Apple Daily, has been found guilty on all counts in a Hong Kong court. Lai had pleaded not guilty to two counts of “conspiracy to collude with foreign forces,” charges that carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. He also pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to publish seditious material in Apple Daily, which he founded in 1995.

The court has scheduled a four-day hearing to determine his sentence, beginning on January 12. Judge Esther Toh, one of the three judges overseeing the case, stated that the sentence will be announced “as soon as possible” after the hearing.

Lai's conviction has sparked renewed debate over Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems” legal framework, which was designed to ensure a degree of autonomy from Beijing and protect freedom of speech until 2047. Critics argue that the case highlights the erosion of this framework due to the implementation of two national security laws. One was imposed by Beijing in 2020, and the other was introduced by the Hong Kong government last year, both in response to widespread protests.

In 2022, Lai was sentenced to over five years in prison for fraud, after a Hong Kong court found that he had violated the terms of a lease agreement related to Apple Daily, which was known for its criticism of Beijing. He has been behind bars for five years, having also been convicted of fraud for violating lease terms. In 2021, along with other pro-democracy figures, he received a one-year sentence for his involvement in an unauthorized peaceful protest.

Here's what else you should know:

• Local politics:** The verdict comes at a politically sensitive time in Hong Kong. A recent apartment fire killed at least 160 people, and national security police have arrested over a dozen individuals, citing concerns about “anti-China forces” potentially exploiting the tragedy to destabilize society. Some critics contend that the authorities are targeting individuals who are simply demanding greater government accountability.
• Health concerns:** Lai's family reports that his health has been declining due to his imprisonment in solitary confinement. While Hong Kong officials claim that he requested to be held there, they maintain that he is receiving “adequate and comprehensive” medical care.
• Trump’s response:** Lai’s foreign legal team stated that President Trump appealed directly to China’s leader, Xi Jinping, for Lai’s release during a meeting in October. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. Trump, who has recently adopted a more conciliatory stance toward China, may be hesitant to continue pressing Xi on Lai’s case. It remains uncertain whether China would be willing to negotiate a diplomatic resolution for Lai’s release, possibly on medical grounds.

Lai's trial has drawn international attention to what analysts describe as Hong Kong’s decreasing tolerance for dissent and free speech. The focus is also on the continued weakening of the “one country, two systems” framework, which is meant to guarantee the city a level of autonomy from Beijing until 2047.

These changes have been expedited by the two national security laws, enacted in response to the large-scale demonstrations that challenged Beijing’s authority in 2019. The laws target treason, secession, subversion, and sedition.

The governments of China and Hong Kong have portrayed Lai as the mastermind behind the 2019 protests. Prosecutors accused Lai of conspiring with foreign governments to encourage sanctions against China and Hong Kong, citing his meetings with foreign diplomats and officials in the United States, Britain, and Japan.

Lai’s legal team argued that his calls for sanctions ceased when the 2020 national security law took effect. Some of Lai’s former colleagues testified against him in exchange for reduced sentences.

Human rights organizations have denounced Lai’s trial as a sham and an act of political persecution. Instead of a jury, his case was heard by three judges appointed by Hong Kong’s leader to preside over national security cases.

Numerous foreign governments, including the United States and Britain (Lai is a British citizen), have condemned the prosecution and demanded Lai’s release. President Trump stated his intention to “save” Lai and directly appealed to Xi Jinping for his release during a summit in South Korea in October.

That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. Trump may now be less inclined to pressure Xi regarding Lai, given his recent shift toward a softer stance on China. For the first time in over three decades, the White House issued a national security strategy that did not criticize China’s authoritarian governance or pressure Beijing on human rights issues.

It is uncertain whether China is open to a diplomatic agreement for Lai’s release, possibly on medical grounds. Chinese and Hong Kong officials have said privately that Lai must be made an example of and that they fear he would resume his opposition to Beijing if he were to live in exile abroad.

Lai’s daughter, Claire Lai, has asserted that her father would “pose no threat to the regime” if he were allowed to leave Hong Kong. She wrote in The Washington Post that “his crusading days are over, and he wishes only to live out his remaining time in peace with family, joining us around the dinner table again.”

Who is Jimmy Lai?

Lai is a self-made businessman who built his fortune in the textile industry. Born in China in 1947, he arrived in Hong Kong at the age of 12 and worked his way up in a factory. He founded Giordano, a clothing chain with stores throughout Asia, and later acquired British citizenship.

Lai stood out as a tycoon who openly expressed his political views. Following the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989, he decided to become a publisher, launching Next Magazine in 1990 and Apple Daily in 1995.

In a 1994 column, he told then-Chinese Premier Li Peng to “drop dead.” After Beijing closed Lai’s clothing stores in mainland China, he sold his stake in the business to focus on his media ventures.

Lai became a prominent figure in the opposition movement. His publications extensively covered pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, including those in 2014 and 2019. In a 2020 interview with The New York Times, Lai stated, “I believe in the media, by delivering information, you’re actually delivering freedom.”

Why is he on trial?

Lai is accused of two counts of “conspiracy to collude with foreign forces,” a crime under the national security law that carries a potential life sentence.

The Apple Daily newsroom was raided twice by the police, eventually leading to the newspaper’s closure. Five executives and editors who worked with Lai were also arrested in 2021 and pleaded guilty to collusion charges in the same case.

Prosecutors claimed that Lai was a “radical political figure” who spearheaded a global campaign to urge foreign governments to impose sanctions on China and Hong Kong for their suppression of free speech.

Lai, who also faces a verdict on a separate charge of conspiracy to publish seditious material in Apple Daily, denies all charges.

The prosecution presented diagrams illustrating his alleged connections with diplomats, lawmakers, and officials in the United States, Britain, and Japan. Calling for sanctions is considered a “hostile activity” against the government and is a crime under the national security law. The evidence against Lai centered on his meetings with American politicians, his communications with officials, and his views expressed in interviews and on social media.

Lai’s lawyers argued that his calls for sanctions ended after the national security law was implemented and that he never intended to violate the law. One of his lawyers, Robert Pang, argued that it was not wrong to exert pressure on the government in the hope of influencing policy changes.

Lai testified for over 50 days, downplaying his meetings with American politicians and denying that he had sought any political favors beyond expressing support for Hong Kong. He described his conversations with John Bolton as general “chitchat” and said he did not listen “very intently” during a meeting with Nancy Pelosi. He characterized donations he made to American think tanks as “too small to even be mentioned.”

He defended his intentions in running Apple Daily, stating that it reflected the values of the people of Hong Kong, including the pursuit of democracy and freedom of speech, religion, and assembly. China has accused the tabloid of spreading “fake news” and “hate speech” and inciting “Hong Kong independence.”

“All I was doing was carrying a torch to the reality,” Lai said.

*A previous version of this article incorrectly referred to the charges against Mr. Lai. He faces two counts of “conspiracy to collude with foreign forces,” not “collusion with foreign forces.” The correction was made on August 28, 2025.*