A Hong Kong court has ruled that Jimmy Lai, a prominent media businessman, is guilty of conspiracy with foreign forces and incitement under the national security law but has not yet imposed a sentence. He may face life imprisonment.
On 15 Dec 2025 GMT+7, CNN reported that a Hong Kong court found 78-year-old Jimmy Lai, a media entrepreneur and pro-democracy activist, guilty under the national security law for conspiring with foreign forces and disseminating inciting media after a nearly two-year-long trial.
However, the court has not yet delivered the sentencing judgment, so the next hearing to determine Lai's punishment is pending. The maximum penalty under the law could be life imprisonment.
Jimmy Lai's case, as founder of Apple Daily, has drawn international attention. The US, UK, and European Union have expressed concern that the national security law is being used to restrict press freedom and free expression, while the Chinese and Hong Kong governments insist the law is necessary for the city’s security and stability.
Jimmy Lai was arrested in 2020 following the major protests in Hong Kong in 2019 and remains in custody awaiting sentencing in this case.
Source: CNN, BBC