Jimmy Lai: Hong Kong Media Tycoon Gets 20 Years in National Security Case
- Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, Monday, February 9th, under the city’s national security law.
- The court also sentenced six former senior staff members of Apple Daily to prison terms ranging from six years and three months to ten years, after they pleaded...
- Lai’s conviction on December 15th, 2025, on two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious material, has been widely...
Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, , under the city’s national security law. The sentence, the longest handed down under the controversial legislation since its enactment in , effectively means the 78-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper will likely spend the remainder of his life incarcerated.
The court also sentenced six former senior staff members of Apple Daily to prison terms ranging from six years and three months to ten years, after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces in in exchange for leniency on another charge. Those sentenced include Ryan Law, former editor-in-chief, who received a ten-year sentence; Lam Man-chung, executive editor-in-chief, also ten years; Fung Wai-kong, managing editor of the English edition, ten years; Cheung Kim-hung, CEO, six years and nine months; Chan Pui-man, associate publisher, seven years; and Yeung Ching-kee, lead editorial writer, seven years and three months.
Lai’s conviction on , on two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious material, has been widely condemned by press freedom advocates as a politically motivated sham trial. The court described Lai as the “mastermind and driving force” behind the alleged conspiracies.
The sentencing marks a significant escalation in the crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong, following widespread pro-democracy protests in . The Beijing-imposed national security law has been increasingly used to suppress opposition voices, including those within the media.
Lai, a British citizen, has been a vocal critic of Beijing’s growing influence over Hong Kong for decades. His Apple Daily newspaper, one of the most popular Chinese-language newspapers in the city with a daily circulation of 86,000 before its closure, served as a platform for pro-democracy views and often challenged the authorities.
The newspaper was forced to shut down in after Hong Kong authorities raided its offices and froze its assets, citing the national security law. The closure of Apple Daily was seen as a blow to press freedom in the city and a warning to other independent media outlets.
Prior to his arrest in , Lai was already a prominent figure in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement. He had been a key financial backer of various opposition groups and a frequent commentator on political issues.
Concerns have been raised about Lai’s deteriorating health while in detention. He suffers from hypertension, diabetes, and cataracts, and has reportedly spent much of his time in solitary confinement with limited access to daylight. His family has expressed fears for his well-being.
The case has drawn international criticism, with many governments and human rights organizations calling for Lai’s release and expressing concerns about the erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong. The United States State Department has described the charges against Lai as “politically motivated” and has called for his immediate release.
The World Editors Forum awarded Lai and the staff of Apple Daily its Golden Pen of Freedom award in , recognizing their commitment to journalistic integrity and their courage in the face of increasing pressure from the authorities. The award highlighted the challenges faced by journalists in Hong Kong and the wider region.
China currently holds the dubious distinction of being the world’s worst jailer of journalists, with at least 51 currently imprisoned, including eight in Hong Kong, according to data compiled by the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Lai’s supporters remain defiant, vowing to continue the fight for democracy in Hong Kong despite the harsh sentence. From his jail cell in , Lai wrote, “A journalist’s responsibility [is] to uphold justice. The era is falling apart before us, and it is time for us to stand tall.”
Andrew Heslop, WAN-IFRA’s Executive Director for Media Freedom, stated that while “justice may have catastrophically failed” Lai and his colleagues, the international community, along with friends and colleagues across the industry, “remain steadfast in calls for their release.”