On Monday, Hong Kong's High Court will issue a verdict in the national security trial of pro-democracy leader Jimmy Lai. The case, emblematic of China's broader crackdown on freedoms, has attracted global attention.

Lai, 78, the founder of Apple Daily, faces conspiracy charges related to seditious material and foreign collusion. The high-profile trial has further ignited diplomatic tensions, with international observers suggesting it tests Hong Kong's judicial independence.

Washington and its allies have condemned the trial as politically driven, urging Lai's release. However, the Hong Kong and Chinese governments insist on the trial's fairness, as judges prepare to deliver their much-anticipated decision.

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