Monday, February 9, 2026 - Hong Kong media mogul, 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.
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