NOTL hotelier, media mogul found guilty in Hong Kong national security trial

Niagara-On-The-Lake hotelier and media mogul, Jimmy Lai could face life in jail after a Hong Kong court convicted him in a landmark national security trial Monday.

Three government-vetted judges deemed the 78-year-old guilty of foreign collusion and sedition.

The conviction is drawing some public backlash, calling it a state-attempt to silence opposing political voices.

Locally, Jimmy Lai is synonymous with hotels like the Prince of Wales and the Queen’s Landing in Niagara-On-The-Lake.

But the tycoon was even more known for his pro-democratic activities in China.

Lai pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him, but a Hong Kong court accused the businessman of endangering national security tied to his media company.

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Monday’s verdict concluded the 156 day trial.

Lai, who is a British citizen, was the founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily Newspaper and one of the most prominent critics of China’s communist party leadership.

He’s already spent 5 five years in jail in response to protests in 2019 over an extradition bill in Hong Kong.

The events then spawned a new, national security law the year after, allowing laws from China to be valid in the special region.

Officials from China say the trial was “fair and just,” but plenty of others feel differently.

Pro-democracy advocates are calling on other nations who trade with China to step in and push for his release.

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Lai’s son, Sebastian Lai says he’s heartbroken by the verdict but not surprised by the judges decision.

“None of the evidence that has been brought about has been incriminating toward my father,” says Liu’s son.

“But the fact that the government would go through with it is essentially because they’re vindictive, they’re vindictive and cruel. So you have a vindictive and cruel government and no legal system to protect its citizens.”

“I feel so badly. I spoke to President Xi about it and I asked to consider his release. He’s not well. He’s an older man and he’s not well. So, I did put that request out. We’ll see what happens,” U.S. President Donald Trump says.

Lai can plead for leniency in a pre-sentencing hearing scheduled for Jan. 12. Meanwhile, his legal team has yet to say if they intend to appeal the court’s decision.

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