Hong Kong Activist Jimmy Lai Pleads Not Guilty in High-Profile National Security Trial

The trial, expected to last about 80 days, is seen as a test of Hong Kong's judicial independence under Beijing's national security law.

Prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and media mogul Jimmy Lai has pleaded not guilty to charges of sedition and collusion with foreign forces under the city's national security law.
Lai, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, faces life imprisonment if found guilty. His trial is expected to last about 80 days.
The prosecution alleges that Lai used his media platform to advance his political agenda, incite public hatred against the Chinese and Hong Kong governments, and collude with foreign countries.
The case is being closely watched globally as a test of Hong Kong's judicial independence and freedoms under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020.
Western powers, including the US and UK, have called for Lai's immediate release, describing the trial as politically motivated. Beijing has dismissed these comments as irresponsible.