A Hong Kong court has sentenced 78‑year‑old media magnate Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison. Lai had already been found guilty in December for “violations of national security” but the length of his sentence was only announced today. He has been held continuously in custody since the end of 2020.
Lai also holds a British passport and is regarded as one of Beijing’s fiercest critics as well as a prominent defender of democratic rights in the Hong Kong special administrative region. He is the most high‑profile defendant to be tried under the 2020 National Security Law, and the 20‑year term is the harshest penalty imposed under that legislation.
The 78‑year‑old used his newspaper, Apple Daily, as a pro‑democracy protest platform. Earlier that same day, six former executives of the newspaper were also sentenced to prison terms ranging from six to ten years.
