What’s happening
In a troubling but unsurprising verdict, Jimmy Lai, founder of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy newspaper outlet Apple Daily and vocal critic of the Chinese Communist Party’s suppression of freedom in Hong Kong, was convicted of colluding with foreign forces and conspiracy to publish seditious articles on Monday, Dec. 13. Lai currently faces life in prison. The 78-year-old has been imprisoned since December 2020, when he was first convicted on spurious charges of foreign collusion under Hong Kong’s controversial National Security Law. He pled not guilty to all charges.
Why it matters
In 2020, China imposed sweeping national security legislation on Hong Kong in response to widespread pro-democracy protests the year before. The law introduced new national security crimes, adding to an already stringent national security law. Authorities in Beijing have stated that the law punishes secession, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces, and carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Critics assert that it is being used to crush dissent and pro-democracy movements.
Since its introduction, Hong Kong has seen a drastic increase in the arrests of protesters, activists, and former opposition party members. Civil society groups and media outlets have also continuously been forced to disband. Two of the three charges that Lai was convicted of were part of this legislation.
Prosecutors accused Lai of using his newspaper to incite hatred of Beijing and lobby foreign governments to oppose the Chinese government through decisive actions such as sanctions. Judge Esther Toh, reading from the verdict, said it was obvious that Lai had extended “constant invitation” to the U.S. to bring down the Chinese government, and that there is “no doubt” that Lai resented China.
Jimmy Lai’s conviction continues the trend of eroding democracy and human rights in Hong Kong. Under pressure from Beijing, democratic opposition has all but disappeared from the city. The Democratic Party, Hong Kong’s last major opposition party, voted to disband on Sunday after continued threats and intimidation of its members.
Irrespective of the fraudulent trial against Lai, the precarious state of his health reinforces the urgency for the United States and its democratic allies to press for his release. If not out of principle to protect and defend human rights and democracy, then on humanitarian grounds.
