Hong Kong: Pro-democracy media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Monday in one of the most high-profile cases prosecuted under the China-imposed national security law, a ruling that has further intensified concerns over press freedom and political dissent in Hong Kong. The 78-year-old former publisher, a vocal critic of Beijing, was convicted of conspiring to collude with foreign forces and of publishing seditious material.
The court ruled that 18 years of the sentence would run consecutively with Lai’s existing prison term of five years and nine months in a separate fraud case. While the judges stopped short of imposing the maximum sentence of life imprisonment, the lengthy term means Lai could spend the rest of his life behind bars. His co-defendants received prison sentences ranging from six years and three months to ten years. Lai retains the right to appeal the verdict.
As Lai entered the courtroom, he waved and smiled at supporters seated in the public gallery. Among those present were his wife and Hong Kong’s prominent Roman Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen, whose attendance drew quiet attention amid the tightly controlled proceedings.
Lai was convicted in December after a lengthy trial in which prosecutors accused him of masterminding efforts to seek foreign sanctions against China and Hong Kong through his media platform. The judges concluded that he played a central role in the alleged conspiracies and maintained a consistent intent to undermine the Chinese Communist Party. They also cited what they described as repeated appeals to the United States under the guise of supporting Hong Kong’s democracy movement.
The government has repeatedly denied that the case represents an attack on press freedom, arguing instead that Lai and others used journalism as a cover to carry out activities that threatened national security. Critics, however, say the prosecution marks a turning point for media independence in the city, which was once regarded as one of Asia’s freest press environments.
Lai was among the first prominent figures arrested under the national security law after it came into force in 2020. Within a year, several senior journalists at Apple Daily, the newspaper he founded, were also detained. Police raids, legal action and the freezing of company assets ultimately forced the paper to shut down in June 2021, with its final edition selling around one million copies.
The sentencing has drawn international criticism and is expected to further strain China’s relations with Western governments. The United States and the United Kingdom have both condemned the conviction. US President Donald Trump said he felt deeply troubled by the verdict and revealed that he had raised Lai’s case directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping, urging consideration of his release. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government has also called for Lai’s freedom, noting that he holds British citizenship.
Lai’s daughter, Claire, said the family continues to hope for his release and remains guided by their Catholic faith. She said they would persist in their efforts until her father is free.
Legal experts say the case carries far-reaching implications. Scholars have pointed to the broad interpretation of “collusion with foreign forces” and “seditious intent,” warning that routine journalistic engagement with international audiences could now be viewed as a criminal act under the law.
Lai has already spent more than five years in custody and is currently serving his sentence for fraud. His legal team has said he suffers from health issues including high blood pressure, diabetes and heart palpitations, arguing that his age and physical condition would make prolonged imprisonment particularly severe. Prosecutors, however, have maintained that medical assessments show his health remains stable.
The verdict comes as Hong Kong’s global press freedom ranking continues to slide. According to Reporters Without Borders, the city now ranks near the bottom of international media freedom indexes, a sharp decline from its standing two decades ago, reinforcing fears that the era of independent journalism in Hong Kong is nearing its end.
