Hong Kong court jails pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai for 20 years

Hong Kong: Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison for foreign collusion and sedition, ending a high-profile national security trial that drew international condemnation.

Judges said Lai’s sentence reflects “serious and grave criminal conduct.” Two of the 20 years overlap with his existing prison term, meaning he will serve an additional 18 years.

Judge Esther Toh clarified that Lai’s sentence would run consecutively with a five-year, nine-month fraud term, though he retains the right to appeal. Co-defendants received jail terms between 6 years 3 months and 10 years.

Lai was convicted in December for:

Three government-vetted judges spared the 78-year-old Lai from life imprisonment, although the current sentence may effectively keep him behind bars for the rest of his life.

Before leaving the courtroom, Lai appeared serious while some spectators cried. Cardinal Joseph Zen sat next to Lai’s wife.

The case has raised concerns over press freedom, though the government insists the trial is unrelated to journalism, arguing the defendants used news reporting as a pretext to harm Hong Kong and China.

Jimmy Lai, founder of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, was forced to close the publication in June 2021 after police raids and asset freezes, a major blow to Hong Kong’s independent media.

The newspaper’s final edition sold a million copies, and Lai was among the first high-profile figures arrested under Hong Kong’s 2020 national security law, alongside several senior journalists.

Lai’s sentencing has drawn criticism abroad. Former US President Donald Trump said he spoke to Xi Jinping regarding Lai’s release, while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also called for his freedom.

Lai’s daughter, Claire, said the family will “never stop fighting until he is free,” citing their Roman Catholic faith.

During a 156-day trial, prosecutors accused Lai of conspiring with six former Apple Daily staffers, two activists, and others to solicit foreign sanctions or hostile measures. Judges ruled him the mastermind, highlighting his “constant invitation” to the US to destabilise China under the pretext of helping Hong Kong.

Legal experts warn the case sets a broad precedent, where even legitimate criticism could be prosecuted as “collusion,” raising alarms for journalists and academics.

Former Apple Daily staffers and activists who entered guilty pleas may receive reduced sentences.

Convicted journalists include:

Activists Andy Li and Chan Tsz-wah also testified for the prosecution. 

Lai is already serving nearly six years for a fraud conviction. Lawyers highlighted his health issues, including heart palpitations, high blood pressure, diabetes, and solitary confinement, which could make his sentence more burdensome. Prosecution medical reports indicate, however, that his general health remains stable.

Observers say his trial symbolises Beijing’s crackdown on press and political freedoms since 2020.