Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in prison after landmark national security trial
Jimmy Lai Receives 20-Year Prison Sentence in Landmark Case
JJimmy Lai, a prominent Hong Kong media tycoon, was handed a 20-year prison sentence, concluding a protracted legal struggle that has symbolized Beijing’s sweeping measures against the once-liberal financial hub. At 78 years old, Lai stands out as one of the most high-profile critics of the government charged under the national security law enacted in 2020. This verdict marks the longest sentence imposed under the law, rendering Lai ineligible for parole until he reaches his late 90s.
International Response and Political Implications
The sentence has intensified global demands for Lai’s release, especially after his high-profile trial drew significant attention from Western leaders. US President Donald Trump, who previously pledged to “get him out,” is anticipated to visit China soon to meet with Xi Jinping. Many of Lai’s supporters are expected to advocate for his case during the meeting.
Family’s Reaction to the Verdict
“Twenty years, it’s a farce. It’s essentially tantamount to a life sentence, or as Human Rights Watch calls it a death sentence,” said Sebastien Lai, Jimmy Lai’s son. “In the conditions my father is being kept in, I don’t know if he even has a tenth of that.”
“I have watched my father’s health deteriorate dramatically and the conditions he’s kept in go from bad to worse,” remarked Claire Lai, his daughter. “If this sentence is carried out, he will die a martyr behind bars.”
Background and Charges
Lai’s vocal opposition to Hong Kong’s diminishing freedoms, including his interactions with top US officials, and his role as founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily, a staunchly pro-democracy newspaper, have long positioned him as a thorn in Beijing’s side. Both Beijing and Hong Kong’s government have consistently dismissed international critiques of his prosecution, asserting that his imprisonment is not politically motivated but a necessary action against threats to national security.
City leader John Lee, a former police officer and security chief, stated on Monday, “Lai used Apple Daily to poison the minds of citizens, incite hatred, distort facts, deliberately create social division, glorify violence, and openly beg external forces to sanction China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.”
Legal Proceedings and Additional Sentences
Lai was convicted of two national security charges and a sedition charge in December after a years-long court battle. During the sentencing, he appeared visibly slim in a white jacket, offering a slight smile upon hearing the ruling. Prior to the court session, he greeted those in the gallery with his hands together and briefly acknowledged six former Apple Daily colleagues awaiting their own sentences. Those colleagues received terms ranging from 6 years, 9 months to 10 years in prison. Apple Daily and its affiliated companies were also fined 6 million Hong Kong Dollars ($767,000).
