Jimmy Lai, a pro-democracy media magnate from Hong Kong, is nearing the conclusion of his national security trial. A ruling about his accusations of sedition and collusion with foreign forces is anticipated on Monday.
The 78-year-old is the most well-known individual accused under the contentious national security law that China enacted in 2020 in reaction to the widespread protests that broke out in Hong Kong the previous year. He has been hailed as a hero by some and denounced as a traitor by others.
Anything Beijing considers to be subversive or separatist is illegal under the law, including participating in pro-democracy demonstrations and screaming slogans. Beijing claims it is essential to keep Hong Kong stable, but detractors claim it has essentially banned opposition.
Lai has been in custody since December 2020, and it is unknown how long he will be behind bars. He faces a potential penalty of life in prison and will be sentenced at a later time. Lai’s case demonstrates, according to critics, how the city’s judicial system has been used to stifle political opposition, despite Hong Kong’s claims that Lai has received a fair trial under the rule of law.
Concerns regarding his declining health while incarcerated have been raised by his relatives. Even though his father, a British citizen, only received a five-year sentence, his son Sebastien told the BBC in August that it was “practically the same as a death penalty.
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