Overview
- Jimmy Lai was found guilty on three counts, including two under Hong Kong’s National Security Law, after a lengthy judge-only trial.
- UK Labour MP Luke Charters denounced the verdict and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper summoned China’s ambassador, which China’s embassy condemned as interference.
- In the United States, commentators and bipartisan lawmakers urged actions such as sanctioning Hong Kong prosecutors and judges, citing a reintroduced Hong Kong Judicial Sanctions proposal.
- Lai has spent much of the past five years in near-total solitary confinement and his health has reportedly deteriorated significantly.
- Sentencing preparations are under way with a mitigation hearing set for January 12, 2026, and supporters warn the punishment could amount to a life-equivalent term given his age.