HONG KONG, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- Jimmy Lai, an instigator of anti-China riots in Hong Kong, was found guilty on Monday 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 Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 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 Dec. 18, 2023, and has been presided over by three judges appointed under the national security law in Hong Kong. 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 Nov. 20, 2024, and ended in March 2025. Closing arguments began on Aug. 18 and were finalized on Aug. 28.

The three charges against Lai are all substantiated by evidence, the Hong Kong Police Force's national security department told reporters on Monday, 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 department, adding that Lai has received proper medical care during the period. Enditem