According to the judiciary website of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the sentencing in the case of Jimmy Lai, an instigator of anti-China riots in the HKSAR, will be delivered at 10 a.m. on February 9. The sentencing process is expected to take about one hour.

Lai, the main defendant in the case, along with eight co-defendants who have pleaded guilty, will be sentenced on that day.

On December 15, 2025, Lai was found guilty on two charges of conspiring to collude with external forces and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious materials.

The verdict was handed down by the High Court of the HKSAR on the national security case of Lai and three companies linked to the now-defunct Apple Daily.

The defendants include Lai, Apple Daily Limited, Apple Daily Printing Limited and Apple Daily Internet Limited, all facing charges of conspiracy to publish seditious materials and conspiracy to collude with external forces. Lai was also facing a separate charge of conspiring to collude with external forces.

The trial officially commenced on December 18, 2023, and has been presided over by three judges appointed under the Hong Kong national security law. The prosecution concluded its presentation of evidence on June 11, 2024, and on July 25, the court ruled that all charges were substantiated. Lai's testimony began on November 20, 2024, and ended in March 2025. Closing arguments began on August 18 and were finalized on August 28.

The three charges against Lai are all substantiated by evidence, according to the Hong Kong Police Force, adding that judicial proceedings of the case involved the examination of over 2,220 exhibits.

The judiciary opened over 400 seats to the public at each court hearing during the trial to ensure transparency of the proceedings, said the police.

A large amount of evidence presented during the trial proved that Lai had been a mastermind and major participant in the anti-China riots in the HKSAR. He had long colluded with other senior executives of Apple Daily to continuously publish seditious articles, launched the "One Hongkonger, One Letter to Save Hong Kong" campaign, conducted interviews with foreign politicians and held other related activities, openly demanding that the United States, the United Kingdom and EU countries sanction China and the HKSAR.

Evidence also demonstrated that through Mark Simon, Chan Tsz-wah and other people, Lai colluded with Li Yu-hin and Lau Cho-dik to carry out lobbying internationally and colluded with foreign politicians to seek sanctions on China and the HKSAR.

Justice of the law

Commenting on the case, HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee said that the verdict has fully reflected the justice of the law and upheld the core values of Hong Kong.

The law will never allow anyone to blatantly harm one's own country or compatriots in the name of human rights, democracy or freedom, Lee said.

He underscored that the HKSAR government has the responsibility to safeguard national security and will resolutely combat behaviors and activities endangering it.

The verdict on Lai has also drawn widespread support from across Hong Kong society, with group leaders and associations affirming that the ruling has underscored the region's commitment to the rule of law and its duty to safeguard national security.

The Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong said the trial has demonstrated the professionalism and impartiality of the judges, noting that both the prosecution and defense were given full opportunity to present evidence and cross-examine witnesses.

Lai has been a key planner and participant in the anti-China unrest that destabilized the financial hub, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong said, expressing full support for authorities' efforts to eliminate national security risks.

The Hong Kong China Friendship Association condemned the bullying acts by some Western countries and politicians, saying that the blatant interference in the internal affairs of other countries and the pressure on the judiciary were a gross violation of the spirit of common law and the rule of law.

Calvin Choi, honorary president of the Hong Kong Federation of Journalists, said Lai and Apple Daily had long exerted a serious negative influence on the city's stability, and the conviction of Lai is an inevitable outcome of justice being served under the law.

Lee Tsz-king, a member of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR, said that the verdict on Lai's case marks a crucial moment for the authorities to firmly uphold the rule of law and resist foreign interference.

In the face of smears from anti-China forces, the Hong Kong society has remained clear-headed, Lee said, adding that the city will never allow any external forces to undermine the foundation of the rule of law.