Hong Kong High Court Concludes Mitigation Hearings in Jimmy Lai National Security Trial
Mitigation phase wrapped up for media tycoon and co-defendants as the case moves closer to sentencing
Hong Kong’s High Court has concluded the mitigation hearings in the long-running national security trial of media tycoon Jimmy Lai, bringing the case a step nearer to its sentencing phase.
The former founder of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily and eight co-defendants presented arguments over two days seeking more lenient penalties before the judges, with an official sentencing date yet to be set.
Lai, now 78, was found guilty last month on charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and to publish seditious material under the city’s Beijing-imposed national security law.
He has denied all charges, asserting that he is a political prisoner enduring persecution.
His trial began in December 2023, and he has spent more than 1,800 days in solitary confinement while proceedings have extended over multiple years.
Defence lawyers urged the court to temper their clients’ sentences by highlighting factors such as limited involvement in conspiracy roles and, in Lai’s case, his advanced age and health concerns.
However, presiding Judge Alex Lee indicated that the offences could warrant severe punishment, pointing to provisions of the national security law that allow for sentences ranging from ten years to life imprisonment.
Several foreign diplomats, including representatives from the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom, attended the hearings, reflecting sustained international attention on the case’s implications for press freedom and the rule of law in Hong Kong.
Lai’s family has publicly challenged assertions about his conduct in detention, citing difficult conditions and limited access to outdoor exercise.
Hong Kong authorities maintain that the trial has been conducted fairly and that the national security law has restored stability to the city following the protests of 2019.
With mitigation arguments concluded, the court will now determine a sentencing date, keeping global eyes on a case that has become a focal point for debates about civil liberties in the former British colony and the broader impact of national security legislation on society and media institutions.
The former founder of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily and eight co-defendants presented arguments over two days seeking more lenient penalties before the judges, with an official sentencing date yet to be set.
Lai, now 78, was found guilty last month on charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and to publish seditious material under the city’s Beijing-imposed national security law.
He has denied all charges, asserting that he is a political prisoner enduring persecution.
His trial began in December 2023, and he has spent more than 1,800 days in solitary confinement while proceedings have extended over multiple years.
Defence lawyers urged the court to temper their clients’ sentences by highlighting factors such as limited involvement in conspiracy roles and, in Lai’s case, his advanced age and health concerns.
However, presiding Judge Alex Lee indicated that the offences could warrant severe punishment, pointing to provisions of the national security law that allow for sentences ranging from ten years to life imprisonment.
Several foreign diplomats, including representatives from the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom, attended the hearings, reflecting sustained international attention on the case’s implications for press freedom and the rule of law in Hong Kong.
Lai’s family has publicly challenged assertions about his conduct in detention, citing difficult conditions and limited access to outdoor exercise.
Hong Kong authorities maintain that the trial has been conducted fairly and that the national security law has restored stability to the city following the protests of 2019.
With mitigation arguments concluded, the court will now determine a sentencing date, keeping global eyes on a case that has become a focal point for debates about civil liberties in the former British colony and the broader impact of national security legislation on society and media institutions.
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