Jimmy Lai Found Guilty on Three Charges of Conspiracy to Collude with Foreign Forces, Says Hong Kong Court

On the 15th, a Hong Kong court ruled that Next Magazine founder Jimmy Lai was found guilty of three charges related to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and conspiracy to publish seditious publications.

According to Xinhua News Agency, the defendants in the case include Jimmy Lai, Apple Daily Limited, Apple Daily Printing Limited, and Apple Daily Internet Limited. The four defendants were charged with one count of conspiracy to publish seditious publications and one count of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. Jimmy Lai alone faces one additional count of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces.

The trial formally began on December 18, 2023, presided over by three judges designated for national security cases in Hong Kong. On June 11, 2024, the prosecution officially completed its evidence presentation, and on July 25 the court ruled that there was a prima facie case for all the charges. Jimmy Lai is expected to testify beginning November 20, 2024, with testimony to conclude in March 2025. Closing arguments will be presented between August 18 and 28, 2025.

No major reaction after hearing the verdict

According to Oriental Daily, after hearing the verdict, Jimmy Lai showed little reaction, merely looking toward his relatives and friends in the public gallery. As the court adjourned, Lai occasionally waved to his family members and smiled.

As for Lai’s wife and son, upon hearing the verdict they simply stared dazedly at the defendant; after the court adjourned, Lai’s wife immediately put on sunglasses to cover her eyes. Jimmy Lai's wife and son, together with Joseph Cardinal Zen, left the court and boarded the same private car, escorted by police officers along the way. They did not respond to reporters’ questions, but Cardinal Zen waved to those present.

On the morning of the 15th, Jimmy Lai was escorted to court and appeared at 10:00am. As he walked into the defendant’s dock, he seemed to be in good spirits, smiling and waving to his son and wife in the gallery. His son also stood up to wave to his father. In court, Lai appeared slimmer than before but in generally good spirits, and frequently looked toward the public gallery.

The verdict was delivered at 10:00am, with the judge stating that the verdict statement was 855 pages long and that only portions of the conclusions would be read. All three charges were then declared established. The judge added that sentencing would not take place immediately but would be postponed until after the plea hearing, which will be conducted together with the remaining eight defendants. The defense must first submit written pleas, and the plea hearing is scheduled for January 12 next year; the court will notify later of the exact sentencing date.