Hong Kong media figure Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, concluding a long legal case tied to the city’s national security law.
The 78-year-old businessman and media founder was convicted on national security and sedition charges following a trial that lasted several years. The sentence means he will not be eligible for parole until very late in life. Lai appeared calm in court as the verdict was delivered and acknowledged supporters present in the courtroom.
Lai is best known as the founder of a now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper that was shut down after authorities moved against it under the security law introduced in 2020. Prosecutors argued that his actions and publications threatened national security, while officials have consistently rejected claims that the case was politically motivated or an attack on press freedom.
Several former colleagues linked to the same media organization were also sentenced to prison terms ranging from nearly seven to ten years. In addition, associated companies were fined a total of six million Hong Kong dollars. Security around the court was tightened as supporters gathered outside in the days leading up to sentencing.
Authorities say the national security law has brought stability to the city following violent unrest during protests in 2019. Critics, however, point to sweeping changes that have seen activists jailed, civic groups dissolved, and media outlets closed.
The case has drawn international attention and is widely seen as a defining example of how the law has reshaped Hong Kong’s political and media landscape.
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