Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai will learn his fate next Monday (15 Dec.), according to the judiciary, after more than 1,800 days in detention awaiting judgment in his landmark national security trial. Lai, the 78-year-old founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under the Beijing-imposed National Security Law (NSL) and one count of sedition under colonial-era legislation. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The long-delayed verdict comes as Reporters Without Borders (RSF) releases its 2025 Global Round-up of Press Freedom, which warns that China has further tightened its grip on media and free expression over the past year, with the number of detained media workers reaching a new high. China remains the world’s largest jailer of journalists for yet another year.
The report also highlights a sharp deterioration in Hong Kong’s media environment five years after the implementation of the National Security Law (NSL). At least eight journalists are currently behind bars, self-censorship has intensified, and the city’s press landscape is “rapidly aligning” with that of mainland China.
The journalists currently in jail includes six former Apple Daily editors and senior executives, Cheung Kim-hung, Chan Pui-man, Lo Wai-kwong, Lam Man-chung, Fung Wai-kong and Yeung Ching-kee have also been imprisoned for over 1,600 days after pleading guilty to the same national security offence.
Lai remains the most prominent media figure detained in Hong Kong. His trial concluded in August, yet no verdict had been issued until the judiciary confirmed that judgment will be handed down next Monday. His lengthy pre-trial detention is among the longest faced by any defendant under the NSL.
RSF notes that visa applications for foreign correspondents in Hong Kong have become less transparent, with some approvals taking significantly longer. The city’s new cybersecurity law, the Ordinance on Protecting Critical Infrastructure (Computer Systems), due to take effect on 1 January 2026, may impose further restrictions on access to information and hinder reporting.
Mainland China Holds Over 100 Media Workers More Than Russia and Myanmar Combined
As of 1 December, RSF recorded 113 media workers detained in mainland China, including journalists, online commentators and independent reporters. A further eight are imprisoned in Hong Kong.
China’s tally exceeds the combined total of Russia and Myanmar. According to RSF, authorities routinely deploy broadly defined offences such as “endangering national security” and “inciting subversion” to silence critical journalists or commentators. Reporters covering public health, corruption or ethnic minority issues are especially vulnerable. Families of detainees are frequently subjected to surveillance, threats or restrictions on movement.
503 Journalists Detained Worldwide
Globally, 503 journalists were imprisoned across 47 countries as of 1 December — a slight increase from last year. China remains the world’s leading jailer of journalists (121), followed by Russia (48) and Myanmar (47).