Hong Kong's Jimmy Lai Convicted of Sedition, Collusion; Faces Life

• Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong media tycoon and fierce critic of Beijing, faces a potential life sentence after being convicted of sedition and collusion with foreign forces.
• Lai was arrested in 2020 under Hong Kong's national security law, leading to the closure of his pro-democracy newspaper, Apple Daily.
• Born in mainland China, Lai built a rags-to-riches empire, founding the Giordano clothing chain and later media outlets like Apple Daily.
• His activism intensified after the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, becoming a vocal advocate for democracy and free speech.
• Prosecutors cited Lai's articles, messages, and calls for foreign sanctions as evidence of betrayal of national interests.

Why It Matters: This case reveals the severe threat to Hong Kong's press freedom and democratic values.