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The city's pro-democracy campaigner and media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been found guilty of conspiring with foreign forces under the city's disputed NSL.

The 78-year-old, who has been in jail since December 2020, had pleaded not guilty. He faces life in prison and is expected to be handed a sentence in the coming months.

The tribunal found that Lai used his now-closed Apple Daily newspaper as part of a broader effort to lobby foreign governments to impose restrictive measures on Hong Kong and China.

The city's leader applauded the ruling, noting that Lai's actions "harmed the country's well-being and the prosperity of Hong Kongers," while rights groups called it "a cruel judicial farce."

The Charges and Court Case

There is "little question" that Jimmy Lai "held animosity" for the People's Republic of China, the presiding judge said, citing his "repeated invitation to the US to help overthrow the government."

When Lai testified previously, he rejected all accusations against him, saying he had "never" used his foreign contacts to influence foreign policy on Hong Kong.

Lai, a British national and one of the fiercest critics of the Chinese state, was a central player in the pro-democracy protests that swept through Hong Kong in 2019.

The NSL was enacted in reaction and gave authorities broad powers to prosecute and imprison people they deemed a threat.

Monday's decision also found Lai guilty of disseminating inflammatory content under a separate pre-existing statute.

Global Response and Judicial Concerns

"Mr Lai's spirit is okay," his legal counsel said after the verdict. "The judgement is so lengthy that we'll need some time to review it first."

"Authorities abused Jimmy Lai with the aim of silencing all those who dare to criticise the CCP," said a human rights organization's Asia Director.

Western governments, including the UK and US, have for years demanded Lai's freedom, which Beijing and Hong Kong have rejected.

A Test of Legal Autonomy

Lai's trial was largely viewed as a test of judicial independence for Hong Kong's legal system, which have been alleged of toeing Beijing's line.

Critics point to the hundreds of protesters jailed under the NSL - and its nearly 100% conviction rate.

Bail is also often refused in NSL cases, notwithstanding concerns about deteriorating health raised by Lai's relatives and rights groups.

The Hong Kong government has also been criticised for barring overseas counsel from working on NSL cases without prior permission.

From Tycoon to Campaigner

Lai, who fled to Hong Kong as a teenager, got his footing as a businessman after founding an international clothing brand.

His path as a democracy activist began after the 1989 demonstrations in Beijing.

He started writing columns and went on to establish a series of widely-read pro-democracy publications.

To this day, many Hong Kongers see him as a leading voice for democracy, with many queuing to enter the court ahead of the verdict.

In his testimony, Lai had said he "never allowed" his newspaper's staff to promote Hong Kong independence, which he described as a "conspiracy" and "too crazy to think about."

"The fundamental principles of Apple Daily are actually the core values of the people of Hong Kong," he had said, listing the "rule of law, liberty, quest for self-governance, freedom of speech."