Hong Kong media tycoon, Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, bringing to a close a years-long legal saga that has become a defining symbol of Beijing’s sweeping crackdown on the once politically vibrant city.
The 78-year-old billionaire, one of the most prominent critics of the Chinese government, is among the highest-profile figures prosecuted since Beijing imposed its national security law on Hong Kong in 2020. The sentence is the longest handed down under the law and effectively rules out any possibility of parole until Lai is in his late 90s.
The ruling has intensified international calls for his release following a closely watched trial that drew attention from Western leaders. US President Donald Trump had previously vowed to “get him out,” and supporters are expected to press the issue as Trump prepares for a possible visit to China in the coming months.
Lai’s family condemned the sentence in emotional terms. His son, Sebastien, described it as draconian and “life-threatening,” while his daughter, Claire, said it was “heartbreakingly cruel.”
“I have watched my father’s health deteriorate dramatically and the conditions he’s kept in go from bad to worse. If this sentence is carried out, he will die a martyr behind bars,” she said.
Lai’s outspoken criticism of Hong Kong’s shrinking freedoms and his role as founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily had long placed him in conflict with Beijing. Authorities in both Beijing and Hong Kong have consistently rejected claims that his prosecution was politically motivated or an attack on press freedom, insisting he has received adequate medical care in custody.
City leader John Lee accused Lai of using 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.”
Lai was convicted in December on two national security charges and one count of sedition after a prolonged court battle. Appearing visibly thinner at sentencing, he smiled faintly as the verdict was read and greeted supporters in the courtroom before turning to acknowledge former Apple Daily colleagues who were also awaiting judgment.
Those colleagues were sentenced to between six years and nine months and 10 years in prison. Apple Daily and its affiliated companies were fined 6 million Hong Kong dollars.
Since the introduction of the national security law, Hong Kong has undergone a dramatic transformation, with dozens of dissidents jailed, civil society groups and outspoken media outlets forced to shut down, and the city’s once noisy political culture effectively silenced. Authorities maintain that the law has “restored stability” after mass anti-government protests in 2019, some of which turned violent.
Supporters lined up for days outside the West Kowloon court hoping to see Lai, as police tightened security and searched those waiting.
“He is the flag of Hong Kong,” said 75-year-old Chan Chun-yee, who stood outside the court. “I don’t agree with everything he did but I aligned with his spirit and the things he pursued, such as freedom, democracy and justice.”
In their December ruling, judges appointed to oversee national security cases said there was “no doubt” Lai harbored resentment toward China, branding him a “mastermind of the conspiracies.” They cited his lobbying of US politicians, including meetings with senior White House officials during Trump’s first term, as evidence of sedition and collusion with foreign forces.
The court also found that Apple Daily had repeatedly called for international sanctions against China and Hong Kong. Prosecutors said the newspaper published up to 161 seditious articles, placing Lai’s actions in what judges described as the “most serious category” of sedition.
Lai retains the right to appeal both his conviction and sentence, though such cases often take years and rarely succeed. To date, only one person charged under Hong Kong’s national security law has been fully acquitted.
