Former security chief Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee said on Monday the guilty verdict on former media mogul Jimmy Lai Chee-ying for violating the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s National Security Law was handed down with “irrefutable evidence”.

She made the remarks after the High Court ruled against the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily following a 156-day trial. Lai was found guilty on three charges under Hong Kong’s NSL – two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security and one count of conspiracy to print seditious publications.  

Ip, who’s the convenor of the Executive Council, said she found the verdict not surprising, given the undeniable evidence presented at the trial.

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She said colluding with foreign forces is a grave crime endangering national security, and urged the public not to defy the law.

Ip pointed out that the case has been conducted in a transparent, impartial and meticulous process, and the judges had set a four-day mitigation hearing in January before sentencing.

It’s hoped that the verdict marks the conclusion of the social unrest in 2019, she said.

She also brushed off worries of possible so-called sanctions from the West following Lai’s verdict, saying these non-factual-based responses from the West merits no attention.

Contact the writer at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com