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

In a landmark and controversial ruling that has drawn global attention, a Hong Kong court has sentenced pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison after finding him guilty of national security offences including conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and publishing seditious materials. The verdict — one of the harshest since China’s national security law was imposed on the city — underscores the intensifying crackdown on dissent and independent media in the semi-autonomous territory.

Lai, 78, the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper — once a vocal champion of press freedom and Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement — has been in detention since 2020. His trial, which began in 2023 and lasted more than two years, culminated in a conviction in December 2025. On Monday, three government-vetted judges ordered the sentence, making it the longest handed down under the Beijing-imposed national security law to date.

Charges and Legal Context

The court found Lai guilty of two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces — allegations that he worked with foreign entities to endanger national security — and one count of seditious publication. Prosecutors argued that Lai’s international engagements, interviews and publications advocating support for sanctions and democratic reforms amounted to dangerous collusion under the sweeping National Security Law (NSL) imposed by Beijing in 2020.

The 20-year term includes two years overlapping with Lai’s existing prison time for prior convictions, effectively adding 18 years to his current sentences for fraud and other earlier charges. Co-defendants — including former Apple Daily executives and pro-democracy activists — received jail terms ranging from around six to ten years.

Press Freedom and International Reaction

Rights groups and Western governments reacted with alarm to the ruling, warning it signals a further erosion of press freedom and judicial independence in Hong Kong. Reporters Without Borders described Lai’s long sentence as a decisive blow to the city’s media landscape, while organizations such as Human Rights Watch called the punishment “cruel and profoundly unjust.” Several nations, including the United States and the United Kingdom, publicly urged for Lai’s release and condemned the severity of the punishment.

Supporters and family members outside the courtroom expressed concern for Lai’s health, noting his advanced age and chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and other ailments exacerbated by years of detention and solitary confinement.

Government Response and Official Stance

Hong Kong and Beijing authorities defend the sentencing, insisting the trial was conducted according to the law and that Lai’s convictions were related to legitimately adjudicated criminal conduct. Officials have repeatedly rejected claims that the prosecution is politically motivated or designed to silence dissent, maintaining that security legislation aims to safeguard national stability.

The closure of Apple Daily in 2021 — following police raids and asset freezes — and Lai’s harsh sentence are widely viewed by critics as part of a broader campaign to quash independent media and suppress dissent in the city, once heralded as a bastion of press freedom in Asia.

Legacy and Broader Implications

Jimmy Lai’s sentencing marks a defining moment in Hong Kong’s post-1997 evolution, representing both the culmination of a years-long legal battle and a symbol of the tightening grip of national security laws on civic space. For many observers, the case encapsulates the challenges facing journalists, activists and civil society in the territory — and raises critical questions about the future of free expression in a jurisdiction once distinct from mainland China’s strict political controls.

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