A Hong Kong court sentenced media mogul Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison for national security crimes, a punishment his family and rights groups condemned as a death sentence
HONG KONG: A court sentenced pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison for national security crimes. The 78-year-old founder of the defunct Apple Daily newspaper was found guilty in December on two counts of foreign collusion and one count of seditious publication.
His sentence is the harshest yet handed down under the national security law imposed by Beijing. It surpasses the previous record 10-year term given to legal scholar Benny Tai in 2024.
Judges said they settled on 20 years after considering Lai’s serious and grave criminal conduct. Two years of the new sentence will overlap with his existing prison term, meaning he will serve an additional 18 years.
Lai sat impassively in the dock as his sentence was read out. He waved solemnly to people in the public gallery, including his wife Teresa and former colleagues, as he was led away.
His defence lawyer Robert Pang declined to comment on a potential appeal. Asked if the sentence met expectations, Pang said “in these times I don’t know what to expect.”
Lai’s family condemned the ruling in a statement. His son Sebastien said sentencing his father to this draconian prison sentence is devastating for our family and life-threatening for my father.
His daughter Claire called it a heartbreakingly cruel sentence given his declining health in prison. She said if carried out, he will die a martyr behind bars.
Rights groups also denounced the punishment. Human Rights Watch Asia director Elaine Pearson said the harsh 20-year sentence against 78-year-old Jimmy Lai is effectively a death sentence.
Amnesty International called the case another grim milestone in Hong Kong’s transformation from a city governed by the rule of law to one ruled by fear. Committee to Protect Journalists CEO Jodie Ginsberg said the decision is the final nail in the coffin for freedom of the press in Hong Kong.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously raised Lai’s case during a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. US President Donald Trump has also called for his release.
Beijing has dismissed critics as smearing Hong Kong’s judicial system. Hong Kong authorities say Lai’s case has nothing to do with freedom of speech and of the press.
Dozens of former Apple Daily employees queued overnight for a spot in court. Police deployed dozens of officers and an armoured car to the area outside the West Kowloon court.
A former teacher in the queue told AFP the sentence was equivalent to sentencing Lai to life imprisonment. Supporters have raised concerns about Lai’s deteriorating health in prison.
Prosecutors said Lai was kept in solitary confinement at his own request to avoid harassment. Authorities maintain he receives adequate care.
Lai was prosecuted under the national security law imposed in 2020 following huge pro-democracy protests. Apple Daily was forced to close in 2021 following police raids.
Eight other defendants, including six Apple Daily executives, are due to be sentenced alongside Lai. All had pleaded guilty to related charges.
Hong Kong had arrested 386 people for various national security crimes as of the start of the month. A total of 176 individuals have been convicted under the law.