New York [US], December 16 (ANI): Human Rights in China (HRIC), a New York-based international, non-governmental organisation (NGO) that addresses human rights and fundamental rights in China, has condemned the conviction of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai.

In a post on the social media platform X under the headline, 'HRIC Condemns the Sham Conviction of Jimmy Lai: The Final Collapse of Hong Kong's Rule of Law,' HRIC denounced the conviction as politically motivated

The post stated, ' Human Rights in China (HRIC) strongly condemns the guilty verdict delivered today against pro-democracy advocate and newspaper publisher Jimmy Lai. The ruling by three judges designated under Hong Kong's National Security Law, convicting Lai on charges of 'collusion with foreign forces' and 'sedition,' is a travesty of justice that confirms the complete dismantling of Hong Kong's once-respected legal system.'

HRIC described the conviction as a foregone conclusion, criminalising journalism and peaceful advocacy by labelling routine media work and international engagement as 'sedition' and 'collusion.'

HRIC highlighted the cruelty of the punishment, noting that the 78-year-old media tycoon, already weakened by years of harsh detention, now faces the possibility of life imprisonment based on what it called a politically fabricated conspiracy.

The group warned that the verdict marks the effective end of the rule of law in Hong Kong, arguing that the judiciary has lost its independence and become an instrument of authoritarian control. HRIC expressed solidarity with Jimmy Lai and the people of Hong Kong, calling on the international community to reject the verdict, demand his immediate and unconditional release, and hold those responsible accountable, stressing that journalism is not a crime.

Jimmy Lai is a Hong Kong businessman, media entrepreneur, and pro-democracy activist. He is best known as the founder of Next Digital and Apple Daily, a popular Hong Kong newspaper that was openly critical of the Chinese Communist Party and supportive of democratic freedoms in the city. A prominent critic of Beijing, Lai has been repeatedly arrested and prosecuted since 2020 under Hong Kong's National Security Law. (ANI)