“Lai’s conviction showed that any intent to damage the safety, unity and prosperity of the nation will not achieve its aims, will not succeed, and will not hamper the nation’s way to strength and national rejuvenation,” Tsang said.

Lai, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily tabloid, was found guilty last month of two charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of conspiracy to print and distribute seditious articles in a landmark High Court trial that ran for more than 1½ years.

A panel of three judges, hand-picked by the city’s leader to adjudicate national security cases, found that Lai had used his newspaper and international connections to push for foreign intervention and sanctions against the Hong Kong and central governments.

The 78-year-old activist faces a minimum sentence of 10 years behind bars and up to life imprisonment. Mitigation will begin on Monday, with four days set aside for the hearing.