Hong Kong Concludes National Security Trial of Media Tycoon Jimmy Lai

Hong Kong's national security trial of media tycoon Jimmy Lai has concluded after nearly 160 days, with a verdict expected in the coming weeks or months. Lai, 77, founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, faces charges of colluding with foreign forces and conspiring to publish seditious materials under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020. If convicted, he could receive a sentence ranging from three years to life imprisonment. The trial, which began in December 2023, has drawn international attention as a test of press freedom and judicial independence in Hong Kong. Lai has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The court has yet to announce a date for the verdict.