Hong Kong’s High Court on Tuesday wrapped up mitigation hearings for media tycoon Jimmy Lai, moving his long running national security case into its final phase ahead of sentencing.
The hearings mark the last major step in a trial that has drawn sustained international attention and diplomatic concern, with a sentencing date to be announced later by the court.
Lai’s lawyers and counsel for eight co defendants, including senior former editors and executives at the now closed Apple Daily newspaper, spent two days arguing for reduced sentences based on the defendants’ roles and circumstances. “There are a lot of legal issues and important questions of law that need to be handled,” Judge Alex Lee said, speaking on behalf of a three judge panel.
Lai, 78, was convicted last month on two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious materials under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020.
The founder of Apple Daily denied all charges throughout the proceedings, telling the court he was a “political prisoner” being targeted for his views. His trial began in December 2023, and he has spent more than 1,800 days in solitary confinement since his arrest.
In its written judgment, the court said Lai had worked with individuals, officials, and politicians overseas in an effort to seek the “downfall of the Chinese Communist Party,” a finding his defense team disputes.
Foreign diplomats from Britain, the European Union, and the United States were present in court on Tuesday, underscoring the case’s global profile.
Defense lawyers for Lai’s former colleagues urged the court to consider individual responsibility when determining sentences.
Erik Shum, representing former senior editor Lam Man chung, said his client played a “very limited role” in the alleged conspiracy and should receive a lighter sentence.
“Those with less significant involvement should be treated with greater leniency,” Shum said, citing provisions of the national security law and earlier court rulings.
Judge Lee noted, however, that some offences could still fall within the most serious sentencing category under the law, carrying penalties from 10 years to life imprisonment.
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Marco Li, lawyer for former associate publisher Chan Pui man, said her responsibilities were largely confined to overseeing the print edition and argued that a 10 year starting point would be appropriate if the court placed her in the upper sentencing band.
Lai and his family did not submit mitigation letters, according to relatives, but his declining health has fueled calls from abroad for his release.
U.S. President Donald Trump raised Lai’s case with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during an October meeting in South Korea, though no response has been received. The two leaders are expected to meet again in April.
Hong Kong authorities maintain that Lai received a fair trial and say the national security law restored order after the mass pro democracy protests of 2019.
The court’s sentencing decision will be closely watched as a test of how the law continues to be applied to media figures and political cases in the city.
