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.
Rescue teams in Afghanistan were searching for survivors and recovering bodies on Tuesday after devastating flash floods swept through the eastern pro...
The United States has bombed Iran for an 11th consecutive night as the war’s cost reaches $37.5 billion, while President Donald Trump threatens a he...
President Donald Trump said the United States will target Iran’s heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain site “pretty soon” as he meets with Lebanese...
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).
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 20th July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 21st of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Kylian Mbappé has become the first player to win the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot on more than one occasion. The French forward won the award presented to the top goalscorer of the tournament for the second time, despite France being knocked out in the semi-finals.
Overnight U.S. strikes caused blackouts in southwestern Iran and hit the northwestern city of Tabriz for the first time. Separately, a U.S. soldier died in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of an unexploded Iranian drone.
President Donald Trump said the United States will target Iran’s heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain site “pretty soon” as he meets with Lebanese president Michel Aoun. Meanwhile, U.S. forces carried out a 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran while Tehran continues to target Gulf countries.
Rescue teams in Afghanistan were searching for survivors and recovering bodies on Tuesday after devastating flash floods swept through the eastern province of Nuristan, killing at least 23 people and leaving more than 100 others missing.
The United States has bombed Iran for an 11th consecutive night as the war’s cost reaches $37.5 billion, while President Donald Trump threatens a heavy strike on the suspected Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site and Tehran warns that any attack could trigger a wider regional escalation.
French lawmakers have approved a ban preventing children under the age of 15 from using social media, making France the first country in the European Union to introduce a legal age limit for online platforms.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, replacing him with General Mykhailo Drapatyi in one of the most significant military leadership changes since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Southeast Asia remains the epicentre of scam centres running illegal online fraud schemes that target victims worldwide and generate billions of dollars annually. The UN estimates scam losses across East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand reached up to $114.1 billion in 2025.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment