CCP authorities in Hong Kong on Monday sentenced British citizen and media publisher Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison under the territory’s national security law, drawing swift condemnation from the UK government, the United Nations, the European Union, and multiple press freedom groups. If he were to ever make it out of prison, he would be 98 years old, making the 20-year prison term essentially a death sentence.
The 78-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper was convicted on one count of conspiracy to publish seditious material and two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. The collusion charges were brought under Hong Kong’s new Beijing-imposed national security law. The sentence is the harshest ever handed down in a national security case in the territory.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called the punishment effectively a life sentence. “For 78-year-old Jimmy Lai, 20 years is an effective life sentence, following a politically motivated prosecution under a law that was imposed to silence China’s critics. The Hong Kong authorities must end Jimmy Lai’s appalling ordeal and release him to be with his family,” she said.
Lai was arrested in 2020, weeks after the Chinese Communist Party imposed the sweeping national security law following months of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. Critics say the legislation criminalizes dissent. Chinese and Hong Kong officials say it was necessary to restore stability.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said the verdict violated international law and should be overturned. “This outcome highlights how the vague and overly broad provisions of Hong Kong’s national security legislation can lead to being interpreted and enforced in violation of Hong Kong’s international human rights obligations,” Türk said.
An EU spokesperson, Anitta Hipper, said the bloc “deplores” the outcome of Lai’s prosecution and called for his immediate and unconditional release.
Lai’s son, Sebastien, said his father fears dying in prison. “My father feels fear the same way anyone feels fear. He fears not seeing his family again, he fears dying alone,” he said. He also described Lai as the world’s highest-profile political prisoner. Apple Daily, once one of Hong Kong’s most widely read newspapers, was forced to shut down in 2021. Lai, once among the city’s wealthiest businessmen, was a vocal anti-Communist.
The 78-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper was convicted on one count of conspiracy to publish seditious material and two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. The collusion charges were brought under Hong Kong’s new Beijing-imposed national security law. The sentence is the harshest ever handed down in a national security case in the territory.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called the punishment effectively a life sentence. “For 78-year-old Jimmy Lai, 20 years is an effective life sentence, following a politically motivated prosecution under a law that was imposed to silence China’s critics. The Hong Kong authorities must end Jimmy Lai’s appalling ordeal and release him to be with his family,” she said.
Lai was arrested in 2020, weeks after the Chinese Communist Party imposed the sweeping national security law following months of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. Critics say the legislation criminalizes dissent. Chinese and Hong Kong officials say it was necessary to restore stability.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said the verdict violated international law and should be overturned. “This outcome highlights how the vague and overly broad provisions of Hong Kong’s national security legislation can lead to being interpreted and enforced in violation of Hong Kong’s international human rights obligations,” Türk said.
An EU spokesperson, Anitta Hipper, said the bloc “deplores” the outcome of Lai’s prosecution and called for his immediate and unconditional release.
Lai’s son, Sebastien, said his father fears dying in prison. “My father feels fear the same way anyone feels fear. He fears not seeing his family again, he fears dying alone,” he said. He also described Lai as the world’s highest-profile political prisoner. Apple Daily, once one of Hong Kong’s most widely read newspapers, was forced to shut down in 2021. Lai, once among the city’s wealthiest businessmen, was a vocal anti-Communist.
