Jimmy Lai, the 78-year-old pro-democracy former Hong Kong media mogul and outspoken critic of the Chinese Communist Party, was reportedly convicted on December 15 in a landmark national security trial. Three judges found Lai guilty on three counts of his national security trail in Hong Kong City Court and could sentence him to life in prison, according to an AP report. He was convicted of conspiracy with others to cooperate with foreign powers to endanger national security and conspiracy to publish seditious articles. Lai, who was arrested in 2020 under a national security law amid the massive anti-government protests in Hong Kong in 2019, has pleaded not guilty to all charges in the trail that began in 2023, according to another AP report. His newspaper, the Apple Daily tabloid, supported the democracy movement and was fiercely critical of Beijing. The report added that Lai’s trail was conducted without a jury. Who is Jimmy Lai? Staunch pro-democracy supporter Jimmy Lai was born in mainland China and moved to Hong Kong when he was 12 as a stowaway on a fishing boat on the then-British colony, the AP report said. Hoping for a better life, he started working in a glove factory and in 1981 founded the popular casual clothing chain Giordano. A turning point for Lai was the 1989 deadly crackdown on student-led pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square. His company printed supportive t-shirts and his interest turned to media and the dissemination of information. In 1990 Lai founded Next Magazine and in 1995 Apple Daily. Although sometimes sensational in nature, the reports have attracted a strong following for the investigation and short animated video reports, the AP added. The publication was also openly critical of the Chinese and Hong Kong governments and was popular with pro-democracy readers. According to the report, in 1994 he insulted then-Chinese Premier Li Peng for justifying government action in Tiananmen, calling him “the son of a turtle egg” (an offensive insult in Chinese culture). Giordano was pressured and Lai had to sell his stake in the company. Speaking to AP, longtime friend and activist Lee Wing-tat said Lai is a firm believer in democracy, freedom and the economic principle of “small government, big market” — largely shaped by his difficult childhood in rural China. Lee said Lai’s family suffered under the Communist Party’s rule. In the 1990s, Lai organized informal gatherings for pro-democracy lawmakers and scholars in hopes of influencing politicians, Lee said, adding that he also joined the iconic “Umbrella Movement” pro-democracy street protests in 2014. He was also part of the 2019 anti-government protests and met with then-US Vice President Mike Pence and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss developments related to a now-withdrawn bill that sparked the unrest, angering Beijing, the report added. Arrest and trial under national security law In 2020, Apple Daily urged readers to urge US President Donald Trump to “save Hong Kong” amid China’s looming national security law. After the law took effect in June 2020, Lai told AP that “Hong Kong is dead.” More than a month later, Lai was arrested under the new law when police raided Apple Daily’s building. The publication closed shop in 2021 after arresting top executives and freezing some of its assets, the report added. During the 156-day trial, since December 2020, prosecutors alleged Lai conspired with others to cooperate with foreign powers and publish seditious material, saying he had clearly betrayed national interests. Lai admitted he used to advocate for foreign sanctions against China, but stopped once the law took effect. He argued in court that he wrote without seditious intent. However, the court’s 855-page ruling determined that Lai’s campaign against China continued for much of his adult life and continued “in a less explicit manner” after the law’s passage. “There is no doubt that (Lai) harbored his resentment and hatred towards the PRC for many of his adult years,” Juder Esther Toh said as he read from the verdict. In the AP interview in 2020, Lai appeared undaunted. “If I have to go to jail, I don’t care. I don’t care. It won’t be something I can worry about, I’ll just relax and do what I have to do,” he said. (With input from AP) Key takeaways Jimmy Lai’s conviction highlights the crackdown on press freedom in Hong Kong. The case symbolizes the ongoing struggle for democracy in the region. Lai’s life story illustrates the impact of personal experiences on political beliefs.