by Michael Scurry
Landmark ruling marks the harshest punishment yet under Beijing’s national security legislation, deepening concerns over press freedom in the city
Hong Kong media magnate and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, in one of the most high-profile cases brought under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020. The ruling, delivered on Monday by the city’s High Court, represents the longest sentence issued to date under the legislation.
In its judgment, the court said it had taken a “global view” of Lai’s conduct and concluded that a 20-year term was warranted given the seriousness of the offences. Lai, 78, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, was convicted in December of colluding with foreign forces, endangering national security and conspiring to publish seditious materials. He has already spent more than five years in detention while serving a separate sentence on fraud charges.
The sentence surpasses the previous record under the law, exceeding the 10-year term handed down to pro-democracy activist and former law professor Benny Tai in late 2024. Human rights groups condemned the ruling, with Human Rights Watch describing the punishment as “cruel and profoundly unjust”.
Lai was among the first prominent figures arrested after the national security law came into force, following the mass pro-democracy protests that swept Hong Kong in 2019. Apple Daily, long known for its outspoken criticism of Beijing, was forced to shut down in June 2021 after police arrested senior staff and froze the paper’s assets, bringing an end to its 26-year history.
The case has drawn sustained international attention and is widely seen as emblematic of the shrinking space for dissent in Hong Kong, once regarded as a stronghold of press freedom in Asia. Governments in the US, the UK and Taiwan have all criticised the verdict. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose government has confirmed that Lai holds British citizenship, raised the issue directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a visit to Beijing last month.
Taiwan’s government described the sentence as “harsh” and accused Hong Kong authorities of trampling on freedom of speech and the press. US President Donald Trump has also expressed sympathy for Lai, saying he had raised the matter with Xi, though without announcing further measures.
Hong Kong officials have rejected claims that the prosecution undermines press freedom, insisting the case focused on national security rather than journalism. Prosecutors argued that Lai used his media platform as a cover to conspire with activists and former employees to lobby foreign governments to impose sanctions and other hostile actions against Hong Kong and China.
Throughout the trial, Lai pleaded not guilty to charges of collusion with foreign forces and conspiracy to publish seditious materials. His conviction and sentence now stand as one of the most consequential outcomes of Hong Kong’s post-2020 legal order, underscoring the profound transformation of the city’s political and media landscape.
(Associated Medias) – all rights reserved
L’articolo Hong Kong Media Tycoon Jimmy Lai Handed 20-Year Prison Sentence Under Security Law proviene da Associated Medias.
