Hong Kong’s Trial of Jimmy Lai Exposes the Erosion of Free Press Under Beijing’s Grip

As a Hong Kong court heard final arguments in the national security trial of media mogul Jimmy Lai, Americans should recognize this case as more than a distant spectacle—it's a stark warning about the assault on freedom and rule of law at the hands of Beijing's expanding authoritarian reach. Lai, a 77-year-old founder of the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, faces charges that could condemn him to life imprisonment. The accusations focus on alleged collusion with foreign forces—a vague charge wielded to silence critics under China's oppressive new legal framework. Is This Justice or Political Repression? The trial, dragging on far...