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Individual so-called human rights experts have entirely no respect for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) court's independent judgment, which had been made on the basis of facts and evidence, said a spokesperson of the HKSAR government on Wednesday, expressing dissatisfaction with and opposition to the unfounded comments after the court of the HKSAR convicted Lai Chee-ying (Jimmy Lai) of offences of endangering national security in strict accordance with the law and evidence.

The spokesperson pointed out that the HKSAR government noted individual so-called human rights experts refused to acknowledge the evidence set out in the reasons for verdict, and refused to understand the court's considerations and the reasons for verdict. Instead, they wantonly launched attacks, slandered and attacked the HKSAR government, with despicable political manipulations to demand the immediate release of Lai, overriding the rule of law with politics and confounding right and wrong. 

Their despicable intent to interfere with the court's sentencing has been seen through by all. The HKSAR government has to refute resolutely to set the record straight, the spokesperson said in a statement.

Recently, the HKSAR's High Court found Lai, an instigator of anti-China riots in Hong Kong, guilty on two charges of conspiring to collude with external forces and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious materials.

The court's conviction verdict was entirely free from any political considerations, the spokesperson stressed. 

The statement detailed that the court's reasons for verdict in this case are 855 pages long, which are fully open for public inspection, and include the court's analysis of the relevant legal principles and evidence, as well as the reasons for convicting Lai and the three defendant companies in full detail. 

The court clearly pointed out in the reasons for verdict that Lai was not on trial for his political views or beliefs. The court's conviction verdict is well-founded and reasoned, fully demonstrating that the court has made its decision on the case strictly in accordance with the law and evidence, free from any interference, and absolutely free of any political considerations.

Hong Kong is a society underpinned by the rule of law and has always adhered to the principle that laws must be obeyed and lawbreakers be held accountable, spokesperson stressed.

"Any suggestion that certain individuals or organizations should be immune from legal consequences for their illegal acts is no different from advocating a special privilege to break the law, and this totally runs contrary to the spirit of the rule of law," said the spokesperson. 

The Lai case has nothing to do with freedom of speech and of the press at all. Over the years, the defendants were using journalism as a guise to commit acts that brought harm to our country and Hong Kong, the spokesperson said, noting that the HKSAR government urges the relevant so-called human rights experts to understand the facts clearly and stop making any unfounded criticisms.

Global Times