Various sectors voice support for court's verdict

Representatives from various sectors in Hong Kong have voiced support for the high court's sentencing of former media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying for violating the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region National Security Law, calling it a fair trial that demonstrated the city's commitment to safeguarding national security.

On Monday, the court's three national security judges — Esther Toh Lye-ping, Susana Maria D'Almada Remedios and Alex Lee Wan-tang — sentenced Lai, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily, to 20 years in prison following his conviction in December on two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious materials.

Leung Chun-ying, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and former chief executive of the HKSAR, said Lai's sentence was "well-deserved".

The facts revealed during the trial proved that Lai was neither an "entrepreneur" nor a "media figure" as labeled by Western media, nor a "champion of democracy", Leung said.

Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, convener of the Executive Council, described the judgment as "a fair and reasonable one, consistent with the gravity of his offenses".

She added that the court had clearly taken full account of the severity of Lai's actions, their impact on national security, and all the claimed mitigating factors. Ip also said that the abundant evidence provided by the Correctional Services Department contradicted Lai's claimed health issues.

She said she believes that Lai had been a "chief conspirator and driving force" behind prolonged turbulence in Hong Kong, including the illegal "Occupy Central" movement in 2014. Ip expressed hope that the case would serve as a powerful deterrent to anyone planning to endanger national security through collusion with external entities.

Starry Lee Wai-king, president of Hong Kong's Legislative Council and a member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, said that extensive evidence shows Lai had for years used journalism and democracy as covers, leveraging media platforms to incite hatred and endanger Hong Kong's safety, including by urging foreign interference and sanctions against the SAR and national officials.

She described the court's verdict as well-reasoned, adding that the 855-page document explaining the reasons for court's conviction lays out a rigorous legal and evidential analysis, all made publicly available.

Wong Yuk-shan, vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Basic Law Committee of the NPC Standing Committee, said that the special administrative region's judicial branch has, throughout the entire legal proceedings, ensured a "fair and just" trial and rendered a lawful verdict in Lai's case.

Wong added that this "fully embodies Hong Kong's commitment to the rule of law" and "again proves that Hong Kong upholds a'fair and just' legal system and judicial operational mechanisms under the Basic Law".

He also said that the gravity of Lai's crimes warranted the 20-year prison term, which he described as "entirely sound".

"Lai deserved this punishment for his heinous crime", he said, in expressing his "respect and firm support" as a Hong Kong resident for the court's decision.

Multiple groups from different fields have also voiced their support for the verdict.

The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, the city's largest labor union, said the decision manifested Hong Kong's resolve to safeguard national security and its core value — the rule of law. It defends Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, while also laying a solid legal foundation for Hong Kong's long-term peace and order, the federation said in a statement.

The city's largest political party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, citing data, said that with the protection of the HKSAR National Security Law, Hong Kong's economy has been steadily recovering in recent years, with its GDP growth projected to reach 3.5 percent in 2025 and attracting substantial foreign investment. The party said this demonstrates that the implementation of the HKSAR National Security Law has effectively restored social order, allowing Hong Kong to focus on economic and social development.

In a statement, the Hong Kong Coalition, an NGO founded by the city's political and business heavyweights, condemned certain Western politicians for glorifying Lai's criminal conduct and repeatedly pressuring Hong Kong judicial officers through measures such as sanctions.

The coalition described such actions as "double standards that distort black and white", calling them not only a blatant interference in Hong Kong's judicial system but also a flagrant violation of international rule-of-law norms.

editor@chinadailyhk.com