Hong Kong’s judicial system just delivered a verdict that’s rocking the very idea of freedom in the city. On Monday, 78-year-old pro-democracy activist and media tycoon Jimmy Lai was found guilty of sedition and collusion with foreign powers under Beijing’s strict national security law.
CNBC reported that in 2020, Beijing rolled out a sweeping national security law in Hong Kong after the 2019 pro-democracy protests shook the region. Lai, founder of Apple Daily and Next Digital, was arrested that year and has remained in custody ever since.
By December 2023, Lai’s trial finally began after years of detention. He denied charges of colluding with foreign entities and conspiring to publish seditious materials, but the court had other ideas.
The 850-page judgment pulled no punches, portraying Lai as fueled by bitterness toward Beijing. The court accused him and Apple Daily of seeking foreign intervention “to impose sanctions or blockade, or engage in other hostile activities” against Hong Kong and China. If that’s not poking the dragon, what is?
Further, the court claimed Lai’s “only intent” was to dismantle the Chinese Communist Party, regardless of the cost to Hong Kong’s people. That’s a serious charge, and it feels like a message to anyone thinking of stepping out of line.
This verdict doesn’t stand alone in Hong Kong’s shifting landscape. Since the 2020 law, the city’s electoral system was revamped in 2021 to favor “patriots” approved by a loyalist committee, slashing directly elected positions.
Just a day before Lai’s conviction, Hong Kong’s last pro-democracy party shut down after 31 years of operation. Add to that a recent “patriots-only” legislative election with one of the lowest turnouts in the city’s history, and it’s clear the political spirit is fading fast.
Lai, who holds British citizenship from before Hong Kong’s 1997 handover to China, even caught the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump reportedly urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to release Lai during a meeting in South Korea. That kind of international spotlight didn’t change the court’s mind, though.
Now, consider Hong Kong’s role as a financial giant. Despite a rise in IPOs in 2025, verdicts like Lai’s threaten to spook investors who value judicial independence over political agendas.
Andrew Collier, a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, nailed it when he said “people want an independent court system that’s going to protect the rights of citizens and the financial community.” When cases like this suggest otherwise, it’s a warning sign for the city’s economic future.
Kenneth Roth, a visiting professor at Princeton and former Human Rights Watch director, added that the decision “underscores the utter demise of the political freedoms that had once made the city so great.” It’s tough to disagree when dissent seems to be systematically silenced.
Looking ahead, Lai’s sentencing is set for January 12, and the outcome remains uncertain. At 78, after years in detention, his resolve is either admirable or reckless, depending on your perspective.
Yet, this case transcends one individual’s fate. Lai’s conviction signals a major step in the erosion of Hong Kong’s democratic values since the 2020 law took effect.
Ultimately, if Hong Kong is to retain its edge as a hub of freedom and finance, something must shift. The rights of its citizens shouldn’t be the price paid for political control. Let’s hope the world is watching—and not just shrugging.
