Hong Kong’s most prominent media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced on Monday (9 February) to a total of 20 years in prison on national security charges. The verdict covers two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count related to publishing seditious materials.
The sentence ends a legal saga spanning almost five years, and Hong Kong's most high-profile national security hearing.
Lai, founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper, was first arrested in August 2020 and convicted last year. His sentence of 20 years was within the most severe penalty "band" of 10 years to life imprisonment for offences of a "grave nature".
The Hong Kong court said Lai's sentence was enhanced by the fact that he was "mastermind" and driving force behind foreign collusion conspiracies.
The 78-year-old, a British citizen, has denied all the charges against him, saying in court he is a "political prisoner" facing persecution from Beijing.
Lai’s case has drawn criticism from global leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
"I raised the case of Jimmy Lai and called for his release," Starmer told the UK parliament after his trip.
The reaction has renewed focus on Hong Kong’s years-long national security crackdown following the mass pro-democracy protests of 2019.
The case has drawn calls for the long-standing critic of the Chinese Communist Party, who friends and supporters say is in frail health, to be freed.
"The harsh 20-year sentence against 78-year-old Jimmy Lai is effectively a death sentence," said Elaine Pearson, Asia Director of Human Rghts Watch. "A sentence of this magnitude is both cruel and profoundly unjust."
Dozens of Lai's supporters queued for several days to secure a spot in the courtroom, with scores of police officers, sniffer dogs and police vehicles including an armoured truck and a bomb disposal van deployed around the area.
In a commentary, China’s state-run Xinhua news agency described the verdict as a “stern warning,” saying anyone who endangers Hong Kong’s stability would face “severe punishment by law,” and defended the ruling as necessary to uphold national security and the rule of law in the city.
Lai's family, lawyer, supporters and former colleagues have warned that he could die in prison as he suffers from health conditions including heart palpitations and high blood pressure.
NATO fighter jets were activated on Thursday (21 May) after at least one drone entered Latvian airspace, accord...
A documentary produced by AnewZ highlighting the Azerbaijani city of Shaki and its living heritage was screened on 21 May during the 13th Session o...
Russia pledged support for Cuba on Thursday after the U.S. indicted former Cuban president Raúl Castro on murder charges linked to the 1996 ...
Pakistan has intensified diplomatic efforts to accelerate peace talks between the United States and Iran, as Tehran reviews Washington’s late...
Financial documents released on Wednesday (20 May) ahead of SpaceX going public - in what is expected to be Wall Street’s biggest ever l...
U.S. President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping are set to meet on Friday (15 May) to wrap up a two-day state visit that has featured pomp and business deals but also a warning from Xi that mishandling the Taiwan issue could send relations spiraling.
The UK has pledged to step up engagement with Beijing after Hong Kong media tycoon and British citizen Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with the case resurfacing as a key issue following Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recent trip to Beijing.
Hong Kong’s High Court has concluded mitigation hearings for media tycoon and China critic Jimmy Lai, bringing his high-profile national security case closer to sentencing.
China expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to what it described as smears and slanders targeting Hong Kong’s judicial system, following international criticism of the guilty verdict handed down to media tycoon and pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai on Monday (15 December).
Asian stocks surged on Thursday as some vessels resumed passage through the Strait of Hormuz, while forecast-beating results at Nvidia and a suspended workers' strike at Samsung Electronics lifted shares of chipmakers.
United Nations World Urban Forum 13 continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 19 May with sessions and roundtable discussions focused on strengthening dialogue and advancing cooperation in urban development. Organisers say there are nearly 3 billion people globally who face some form of housing inadequacy.
Day four of the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Baku brings a packed agenda on sustainable cities and the global housing crisis, with sessions on green housing, smart cities, public spaces and urban rights taking place on Wednesday (20 May) at Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan.
At least 21 people have been killed and thousands evacuated after torrential rain triggered flooding, landslides and transport disruption across southern and central China, with authorities warning that more heavy rainfall is expected along the Yangtze River.
Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya warned on Tuesday (19 May) that Moscow could retaliate against Baltic states if Ukraine launches military drones from that region. Latvia, the United States and Ukraine responded strongly during a UN Security Council meeting.
NATO fighter jets were activated on Thursday (21 May) after at least one drone entered Latvian airspace, according to Latvia’s armed forces, marking the latest in a series of security incidents across the Baltic region linked to the war in Ukraine.
Russia pledged support for Cuba on Thursday after the U.S. indicted former Cuban president Raúl Castro on murder charges linked to the 1996 downing of exile planes, escalating tensions between Washington and Havana.
The European Union has moved closer to finalising a trade agreement with the United States in an effort to avoid a new tariff escalation threatened by President Donald Trump. The proposed deal is aimed at stabilising transatlantic trade ties amid mounting economic and political pressure.
Russia delivered nuclear munitions to field storage facilities in Belarus as part of major nuclear drills, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Thursday.
Russia and China plan to unveil a nearly one-kilometre cable car over the Amur river by the end of the year, the TASS state news agency reported on Thursday (21 May).
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment