Jimmy Lai, the 78-year-old founder of Hong Kong's pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Hong Kong court for violating the National Security Law.
The Hong Kong High Court handed down the sentence on Friday, convicting Lai of colluding with foreign forces and sedition. "Considering Lai's serious and grave criminal conduct, the court determined that a total sentence of 20 years imprisonment should be imposed," the court stated in its ruling summary.
The sentencing came approximately two months after the Hong Kong High Court found Lai guilty on December 15 last year following a two-year trial, ruling that he had "sought to bring about the downfall of the Chinese Communist Party." AFP reported that Lai, who sat expressionless in the defendant's dock, solemnly waved to spectators including his wife Teresa, former Hong Kong Bishop Cardinal Joseph Zen, and former Apple Daily journalists as he was escorted out after the verdict.
Lai, a British citizen born in mainland China, founded Apple Daily in Hong Kong in 1995, two years before the territory's handover to China. The newspaper drew Beijing's ire by publishing articles supporting pro-democracy protesters during Hong Kong's democracy movement. Lai was arrested in August 2020 under the National Security Law, one year after the 2019 pro-democracy protests were suppressed, and has been held in solitary confinement for approximately five years. Apple Daily voluntarily ceased publication in 2021.
Family members and supporters strongly protested the sentence, arguing that the 20-year term amounts to a de facto death sentence given Lai's advanced age. According to the BBC, Lai's son Sebastian said, "Today is a dark day for anyone who believes in truth, freedom and justice. This represents the complete collapse of Hong Kong's judicial system and the end of justice." A supporter outside the courthouse said, "Many are shocked by this sentence, considering Lai's age and the time he has already served."
The sentencing is likely to emerge as a major diplomatic issue between the United States and China ahead of President Donald Trump's planned visit to China. Trump previously raised Lai's release directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the U.S.-China summit held in Busan last October.