Jimmy Lai, originally from Guangzhou, China, made his way to Hong Kong at the age of 12 as a stowaway on a fishing boat.
From toiling in a Hong Kong sweatshop, he ascended to establish a multi-million dollar empire over a few decades, ultimately becoming one of the wealthiest residents of Hong Kong.
Despite his business success, Lai has consistently advocated for democracy and criticized the Chinese government's interference in Hong Kong.
His political views were profoundly shaped by Beijing's crackdown on the 1989 pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square, according to a BBC profile.
Lai's outspoken criticism of China's policies, censorship, repression of freedom of speech, and the Tiananmen Square massacre in his writings for newspapers became a persistent source of irritation for Beijing.
Facing censorship of his bookstores in China, Lai responded by founding Apple Daily and a pro-democracy digital magazine called Next.
The charges against Lai involve posts on social media and articles in Apple Daily, where he urged Western governments to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China.
Prosecutors argue that such calls violate the national security law imposed by Beijing in June 2020, and Lai is also accused of sedition.
The trial's significance lies in its role as a test of press freedom and judicial independence in Hong Kong.
It will illustrate how the local judicial system interprets and applies the national security law, particularly in cases where political offenses lack clear definitions.
Critics argue that the national security law is used to suppress dissent, while experts and activists claim that Lai's prosecution violates his right to a fair trial.
Human Rights Watch notes that Lai has been denied a trial by jury, and a panel of three handpicked judges is hearing his case instead.
Lai's son, Sebastien, has labeled the trial a "show trial" and emphasized that his father is being punished for defending the promised freedoms of Hong Kong during the handover.