Hong Kong Tycoon Jimmy Lai Faces Trial After Four Years in Solitary Confinement

The 76-year-old entrepreneur and pro-democracy activist, accused of violating national security laws, remains a powerful symbol of resistance against Beijing's authoritarianism.

• Jimmy Lai, founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper, has been imprisoned since 2020 and is currently on trial for alleged national security violations.
• The charges against Lai include foreign collusion and publishing seditious content, though they are based on actions taken before the law's enactment in 2020.
• Lai, a billionaire and vocal critic of the Chinese Communist Party, refused to flee Hong Kong despite possessing British citizenship, choosing instead to remain and fight for democratic freedoms.
• Lai's imprisonment highlights the broader crackdown on pro-democracy figures and businesses in Hong Kong, which has seen a decline in freedoms and economic stability since Beijing tightened its control.
• While in prison, Lai has maintained his resolve, documenting his experiences in smuggled diary entries and finding solace in art, meditation, and his Catholic faith.

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