Editorial | Jimmy Lai verdict a testament to Hong Kong’s rule of law

The trial spanned 156 days, with 52 days dedicated to Lai’s testimony. After the guilty verdicts, the founder of the now defunct Apple Daily could face up to life in jail. Sentencing of the 78-year-old, on a date to be fixed, will continue to rivet international attention. Lai can appeal and a date in January has been fixed to plead mitigation.

He was accused of attacking and trying to overthrow the Communist Party’s rule and the Hong Kong government by calling for the United States to impose sanctions when meeting American politicians, and of inciting hatred in his publication.

The West tried to misrepresent the trial as damaging to press freedom and an example of the demise of the rule of law. Beijing and the Hong Kong government have repeatedly stressed Lai’s case has nothing to do with press freedom but is about national security.

Lai is the most prominent figure yet to be prosecuted under the national security law imposed by Beijing in June 2020. But from the time of his arrest, it was more than just about Lai being put on trial, as the city in which he rose and fell had to demonstrate it would uphold the core values in the Basic Law, including an independent judiciary and free speech and the rule of law.

It is therefore time to reflect on the trial and the factors in the process by which Lai was found guilty. In that regard, the process stands up to scrutiny.