Monday, February 9, 2026

Media Mogul Sentenced To 20-Years

Jimmy Lai

A Hong Kong court sentenced 78-year-old pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison on Monday, marking the harshest penalty imposed under the Beijing-imposed national security law and effectively concluding a high-profile, five-year legal battle that has symbolized the erosion of freedoms in the semi-autonomous territory.

The sentence, handed down by the High Court in West Kowloon, combines convictions on two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces (under the national security law) and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious materials. Lai, the founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, had pleaded not guilty. 

The ruling means his earliest possible release could be in 2044 (assuming good behavior reductions), when he would be in his late 90s—amounting to what critics describe as a de facto life sentence.The case stemmed from Lai's outspoken criticism of Beijing, his meetings with foreign politicians (including in the United States), and content published in Apple Daily, which authorities cited as seditious and endangering national security. 

Prosecutors pointed to over 160 articles from the tabloid as evidence. Lai was first arrested in 2020, shortly after the national security law's enactment, and has been in detention for much of the intervening period while facing separate fraud and assembly-related convictions.

Six former senior executives and staff from Apple Daily were also sentenced on the same day, receiving terms ranging from about 6 years and 9 months to 10 years on related collusion and sedition charges. 

The newspaper, once a leading voice for Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, was forced to shut down in June 2021 amid mounting pressure, including asset freezes and arrests.

Hong Kong authorities, including city leader John Lee, defended the outcome as a demonstration of the rule of law and justice being upheld. Beijing-affiliated statements echoed this view, portraying the sentence as a necessary response to grave criminal conduct.


Internationally, the verdict drew sharp condemnation. The United Kingdom—where Lai holds citizenship—called it tantamount to a life sentence and pledged to engage rapidly on the case. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders, labeled it a "cold-blooded attack" on freedom of expression and press freedom, highlighting the trial's lack of jury and use of handpicked judges as evidence of an unfair process. Lai's daughter has publicly stated that, if served fully, the sentence could mean her father "will die a martyr behind bars."

The sentencing caps a saga that has drawn global attention to Hong Kong's shifting political landscape since the 2020 national security law, which has led to the prosecution of dozens of activists, the closure of independent media outlets, and widespread international concern over the city's autonomy and civil liberties.
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