【Epoch Times News, December 15, 2025】Founder of Apple Daily, Jimmy Lai, has been found guilty of “conspiring to publish seditious publications” and “conspiring to collude with foreign forces.” Today, on the 15th, he was convicted on all counts and sentencing has been postponed. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a statement condemning the conviction, urging for the release of Jimmy Lai. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) also expressed deep dismay at the verdict, emphasizing that it is not just an indictment of an individual, but an attack on press freedom itself. They called for democratic leaders worldwide to take action to secure Lai’s release.
In a statement, CPJ’s Asia Program Coordinator, Beh Lih Yi, called the false conviction a shameful act of persecution. This verdict highlights Hong Kong’s disregard for press freedom, which should be protected under the Basic Law. Lai’s only “crime” was founding a newspaper and defending democracy.
Beh Lih Yi expressed concern for Lai’s deteriorating health in prison, citing an increasing risk of him dying from illness and stressing the immediate need for him to reunite with his family. The CPJ statement cited Lai’s worsening health conditions during the 5-year detention, with most of the time spent in solitary confinement, limited access to sunlight and exercise. Lai’s children have reported his weight loss, discolored and falling nails, and decaying teeth. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in 2021 also classified Lai’s detention as “illegal and arbitrary.”
According to their latest research, CPJ stated that China remains the most severe country in the world for jailing journalists, with at least 50 journalists incarcerated, including 7 in Hong Kong.
Jimmy Lai is a recipient of the Reporters Without Borders’ Press Freedom Award. RSF Secretary-General Thibaut Bruttin expressed profound dismay at Lai’s conviction, stating that his imprisonment symbolizes a severe blow to press freedom in Hong Kong. The statement described Lai as a symbol of press freedom in Hong Kong and condemned the authorities for fabricating national security charges against him. The verdict reveals a shocking deterioration in press freedom in Hong Kong, as it is not just an individual on trial, but press freedom itself.
The statement also mentioned that Lai’s declining health condition and called on democratic leaders worldwide to take action to secure his release; otherwise, Lai may perish in prison.
The Hong Kong Journalists Association Overseas stated that the trial is a blatant political crackdown on journalists, causing significant and ongoing damage to press freedom and the rule of law. They described the trial not only as a judgment on a media figure but also as a verdict on the freedom of press and information in Hong Kong.
The association pointed out that Lai has been detained for over 4 years, and the case has been dragged out for over a year and eight months, revealing the authorities’ nature of using procedures to erode rights and punishing freedom of speech through fear.
The association also noted that the case involves former executives of Apple Daily, including Cheung Kam-hung, former Deputy Chief Editor of Apple Daily Chan Pui-man, former Chief Editor Law Wai-kwong, former Executive Editor Lam Man-chung, former Executive Editor of the English edition Fung Wai-kwong, and former Forum Editor Yang Ching-kei. They emphasized that criminalizing news reporting, commentary, and editorial decision-making equates to putting society’s right to information and oversight on trial.
The association stressed that imposing charges of “colluding with foreign forces” based on news reporting and speech is a political tool to suppress dialogue, punish dissent, and directly undermine press freedom and freedom of expression. They criticized the arrangement of replacing the jury with designated judges, weakening the transparency and credibility of the trial, violating the basic principles of fair trial. Lai’s case and the forced closure of Apple Daily have caused irreversible damage to journalism professionalism, safety of journalists, and the public interest.
The association urged the Hong Kong government and the Chinese Communist Party to uphold their commitments to press freedom and human rights under the Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration, refraining from using administrative and judicial procedures as extensions of political punishment. They called for an immediate cessation of suppressing news and speech in the name of national security, retracting all improper charges against Lai and Apple Daily editors. The international community, professional organizations, and regulatory bodies should continue to issue clear signals regarding the regression of press freedom in Hong Kong and initiate appropriate human rights accountability procedures.