HONG KONG: Jimmy Lai, Hong Kong most prominent pro-democracy media tycoon, was sentenced on Monday to 20 years in prison, concluding the city’s largest national security case, which has drawn international concern over Hong Kong’s autonomy and freedoms.
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The sentence covers two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of publishing seditious materials. Lai, 78, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, was first arrested in August 2020 and convicted last year. The three national security judges described him as the “mastermind” behind persistent foreign collusion conspiracies and applied the maximum sentence range for offences of “grave nature.”
Court sentences Jimmy Lai to 20 years for foreign collusion and sedition in Hong Kong’s most high profile case. https://t.co/QwTcOSpX5t pic.twitter.com/oB2Dwva3Yd
— ARISE NEWS (@ARISEtv) February 9, 2026
Prosecutors cited evidence that the conspiracies sought sanctions and other hostile acts from the United States and other countries, involving Apple Daily staff, activists, and foreigners. Six former senior staffers of Apple Daily, an activist, and a paralegal were also sentenced to jail terms between six and ten years.
Lai, a British citizen, denied all charges, calling himself a “political prisoner” and highlighting his long-standing criticism of China’s Communist Party. He has met several senior U.S. officials, including former Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Global leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, have condemned the sentence. Human Rights Watch described it as “effectively a death sentence,” citing Lai’s frail health, including diabetes and high blood pressure. Hong Kong authorities, however, defended the ruling and maintained that Lai received a fair trial under the national security law imposed in 2020.
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Lai’s son, Sebastien, called the sentence “devastating” and warned it posed a life-threatening risk. Lawyers have 28 days to file an appeal. Supporters of the tycoon gathered outside the courtroom, amid heavy police presence, to witness the sentencing, underscoring the international attention on Hong Kong’s legal and political climate.