Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigner and media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been found guilty of colluding with foreign forces under the city's controversial national security law (NSL).
The 78-year-old UK citizen, who has been in jail since December 2020, pleaded not guilty. He faces life in prison and is expected to be sentenced early next year.
Lai used his now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper as part of a wider effort to lobby foreign governments to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China, the court found.
Hong Kong chief executive John Lee welcomed the verdict, noting that Lai's actions damaged the country's interests and the welfare of Hong Kongers. Rights groups called it a cruel judicial farce.
They say the NSL, which Beijing defends as essential for the city's stability, has been used to crush dissent.
Delivering the verdict on Monday, Judge Esther Toh said there is no doubt that Jimmy Lai harboured hatred for the People's Republic of China (PRC), citing his constant invitation to the US to help bring down the government of the PRC with the excuse of helping the people of Hong Kong.
In Lai's testimony, he denied all the charges against him, saying he had never used his foreign contacts to influence foreign policy on Hong Kong.
His trial is seen by many as a major test of judicial independence in Hong Kong, where the NSL has led to a significant increase in prosecutions of pro-democracy activists. The conviction of Lai joins a growing list of individuals under the NSL facing harsh penalties for their opposition to the government.
Sebastien, Lai's son, has called on the UK government to take assertive action to pressure China for his father's release, emphasizing that closer relations with China should be contingent upon his freedom.
As tensions rise over Hong Kong's political landscape, the verdict signifies a perilous chapter for the city's democracy and its citizens' rights.
