Jimmy Lai Verdict Draws Massive Public Attention in Hong Kong

Supporters of Jimmy Lai, the jailed Hong Kong media mogul and pro-democracy activist, have begun queuing overnight outside a Hong Kong courthouse in anticipation of a highly anticipated verdict. The decision, expected on Monday morning at 10 a.m. local time (02:00 GMT), comes after a lengthy 156-day trial and amid mounting international calls for Lai’s release.

Lai, 78, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily, has spent over five years in prison after being arrested in 2020 under the controversial national security law imposed by China. This law was introduced to suppress anti-government protests that shook Hong Kong in 2019.

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Supporters Camp Overnight for Limited Courtroom Access

By Sunday night, Lai’s supporters had formed a queue stretching more than a block outside the courthouse, with some even bringing camping gear to secure a spot. Tickets for the proceedings are strictly limited: 58 tickets for Lai’s courtroom and the remaining 449 for a separate overflow room with a video link.

Authorities have deployed dozens of police officers to maintain order around the courthouse as anticipation builds for the verdict.

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Health Concerns for the Jailed Media Tycoon

Lai’s family has expressed deep concern over his deteriorating health after enduring over 1,800 days in solitary confinement. According to his daughter, Claire Lai, the 78-year-old suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart palpitations. She also reported significant weight loss and weakening of his body.

“His nails turn almost purple, grey, and greenish before they fall off, and his teeth are getting rotten,” Claire Lai said, highlighting the harsh conditions her father faces behind bars.

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International Calls for Lai’s Release

Countries including the United States and United Kingdom, along with global human rights organizations, have criticized the trial as politically motivated and called for Lai’s immediate release. U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly raised Lai’s case with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in South Korea, pledging to do his utmost to help.

Despite these calls, Beijing has maintained that Lai is an “agent and pawn of anti-China foreign forces” and has claimed that the trial is fair. Both the Chinese and Hong Kong governments argue that national security laws apply equally to all and that no freedom is absolute when protecting state security.

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Media and Advocacy Groups Criticize Trial as Sham

Media advocacy organizations, including Reporters Without Borders, have condemned the trial, stating:

“Jimmy Lai has endured five years in prison under appalling conditions simply for doing his job as a founder of one of the most renowned and independent media outlets in Hong Kong. The trial can only be described as a sham and has nothing to do with the rule of law.”

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Possible Outcomes and Next Steps

If convicted, Lai could face sentencing in the near future, though he retains the right to appeal the verdict. The case has drawn international scrutiny and remains a flashpoint in discussions about press freedom, democracy, and human rights in Hong Kong.

The verdict is expected to further intensify debates over the balance between national security and individual freedoms, as well as the role of independent media in regions under strict governmental control.