Jimmy Lai: Media Magnate Sentenced to 20 Years in Hong Kong Prison

Media magnate Jimmy Lai has been sentenced by a Hong Kong court to twenty years in prison for colluding with foreign powers and publishing inflammatory pieces.

Lai, who is a British citizen, denies the allegations and says he is a political prisoner.

Lai, 78, was arrested in 2020 under China’s new national security law in Hong Kong. Lai was an important figure during the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong and regularly participated in the protests himself.

The lawsuit revolves around his now defunct newspaper, which contained sharp criticism of the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities in opinion pieces. The newspaper, the Apple Daily, was forced to cease operations due to violations of the national security law.

His family says they are seriously concerned about the media mogul’s health. Earlier this year, his lawyer said he was suffering from palpitations, high blood pressure and diabetes, among other things. The court said it would not consider a reduction in sentence due to his medical condition. Lai can still appeal the ruling. His lawyer did not want to say whether he will do so.

Lai is already serving a sentence of 5 years and 9 months for rent fraud and participation in unauthorized gatherings. He could have also been sentenced to life in prison for today’s conviction. The judges did not impose that punishment on him, but given his old age, this punishment also amounts to that.

Hong Kong’s leader calls Lai’s sentence “very satisfactory” and says it upholds the rule of law.

The former British colony of Hong Kong has been governed by the Chinese government since 1997. This makes it a special administrative region. During the negotiations about the return to Chinese rule, it was agreed that civil rights in the city would be maintained for at least fifty years. This included freedom of the press, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.

However, the new security law makes it much more difficult to criticize the authorities.