Washington DC
—
The guilty verdict handed down this week for Hong Kong media mogul and democracy advocate Jimmy Lai was expected but still shocking, his daughter Claire Lai told CNN’s Jim Schutt, condemning what she described as “gross violations” of Hong Kong’s legal system under Chinese rule.
Her father, 78, now faces the possibility of life in prison after a two-year trial under a sweeping national security law that Beijing imposed on the city after months of massive and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests.
Lai, a self-made billionaire, founded a fiercely pro-democracy tabloid known for its harsh coverage of the Chinese Communist Party until it was forced to shut down in 2021.
Prosecutors cited Lai’s lobbying of U.S. politicians during Trump’s first term, much of it before the enactment of the national security law, as evidence of incitement and collusion with foreign powers, including meetings with then-Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and attempts to meet with Trump himself.
Hong Kong authorities have repeatedly denied claims that Lai’s trial was politically motivated and maintain that the city’s judicial system adheres to the rule of law.
Lai’s daughter Claire Lai told CNN’s Jim Shute that Monday’s ruling was expected but shocking, calling the national security law very vague, draconian and arbitrary.
“Hong Kong’s once-promising but now severely damaged legal system will not solve this problem,” she said, adding that the 855-page judgment failed to meaningfully address freedom of the press or the protection of fundamental rights.
Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997, has a separate judicial system from mainland China, with a conviction rate of over 99%.
Critics worry that the national security law has introduced what they say to be Beijing’s authoritarian and opaque judicial norms to Hong Kong, and all national security trials to date have been tried by specially selected panels of judges rather than juries, a departure from the city’s common law traditions in handling serious cases.
Jonathan Price KC, a human rights lawyer who is part of Lai’s international legal team, said the court proceedings were a “performative process” that began with Lai’s arrest in 2020 and culminated in what he called a predetermined verdict.
“The legal basis is minimal, if not non-existent, to say the least,” Price said.
In response, Hong Kong authorities said the court “clearly notes in its reasons for the verdict that Jimmy Lai is not being tried for his political views or beliefs,” adding that the 855-page judgment is “fully open to public inspection” and “scrupulously explains the court’s analysis of the relevant legal principles and evidence.”
The Hong Kong government also defended Hong Kong’s legal system, saying, “Hong Kong is a society supported by the rule of law, and we have always upheld the principle that laws must be observed and lawbreakers will be held accountable.”
According to his family, Lai’s health deteriorated rapidly during the five years he was imprisoned. Claire Lai said her father had lost more than 10 kilograms in less than a year and now suffered from diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, poor eyesight and hearing, and other visible illnesses.
“My father, he was strong and tough…and he was known for that too. And now he’s lost a dramatic amount of weight,” she said.
Hong Kong authorities disputed those concerns, saying Lai received “adequate and comprehensive” medical care while in custody.
“Professional medical staff will provide optimal medical services to patients and all PICs (detainees) will be treated equally. The senior lawyer representing Lai Chee-ying also clearly informed the court that the correctional facility arranged daily medical check-ups for Lai Chee-ying and that Lai Chee-ying has not made any complaints about the medical services she received while in custody. The court commended the efforts of the CSD (Department of Corrections).”
Asked if the Chinese government intended to sentence Lai to death in prison, Price warned that any sentence could effectively amount to a life sentence.
“The maximum is life in prison, and they could impose that. And he turned 78 last week. Either of these sentences effectively amounts to a life sentence, and we’re going to see him die behind bars.”
Mr. Lai was born in mainland China, moved to British-ruled Hong Kong at the age of 12, and rose from factory worker to clothing tycoon.
He then pivoted to media, founding Apple Daily in 1995, two years before Hong Kong was handed back to China. The outspoken publisher and its newspaper have been at the forefront of the city’s pro-democracy movement, particularly in the decade leading up to massive anti-government protests in 2019.
Mr. Lai, a vocal supporter of President Trump, traveled to Washington at the height of the 2019 protests and met with Mr. Pence and other US politicians to discuss the situation.
At the time, massive demonstrations sparked by the controversial bill drew hundreds of thousands of people to the streets, many of whom feared the Chinese government would violate the city’s autonomy and rare freedoms of speech, press and assembly.
Mr. Price noted that Mr. Lai’s case has received significant international support. President Donald Trump has said he has raised Lai’s case with Chinese President Xi Jinping, raising hopes among supporters that diplomatic pressure will secure his release.
Claire Lai said she believed the president’s efforts could lead to her father’s release.
“We are very grateful to him for his continued concern. It gives us great hope now that he has been wrongfully convicted.”
In a statement, the Hong Kong government said: “We strongly urge other countries to immediately stop any actions that violate international law and basic norms of international relations, and any interference in China’s internal affairs and Hong Kong affairs.”
A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also released a statement: “Hong Kong issues are purely China’s internal affairs. The media should respect the rule of law in Hong Kong and not intervene in ongoing trials. As a serious media outlet, CNN should remain objective and neutral, report the facts in a reasonable manner, and accurately and comprehensively represent the position of China, including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Special Administrative Region) government.”
Despite the verdict, Claire Lye said her family will continue to fight.
“We are still grieving,” she said. “But one of the things my father taught us is that you should face any adversity, any difficulty, with a certain amount of cheerfulness and fortitude, so that’s what we’re trying to do.”
