Jimmy Lai's mitigation hearing set to begin before sentencing

Hong Kong's High Court will hear Jimmy Lai's mitigation plea on Monday ahead of sentencing, after he was found guilty last month on two counts related to national security.

Hong Kong's High Court will hear the mitigation plea of pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai on Monday, the final step before judges decide his sentence in a national security trial. Lai, 78, was found guilty last month of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and of conspiracy to publish seditious material under the city’s national security law. The case has drawn international attention and criticism. Known details: - Lai was convicted on two counts related to national security in a verdict announced last month; he has denied the charges. - Mitigation hearings for Lai and other defendants begin at 10 a.m. and are expected to last four days; sentencing will take place at a later date. - Lai, a British citizen and founder of the now-closed Apple Daily, has been held in solitary confinement for more than 1,800 days, and several international figures and UN-appointed experts have raised concerns about his treatment and the broader implications for freedoms in Hong Kong. Summary: The hearing is the final procedural stage before sentencing in a high-profile national security case that has attracted wide attention. Sentencing date is undetermined at this time.