Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in prison for national security crimes
Hong Kong leader and Beijing office say sentence shows rule of law has been upheld, while UK pledges to engage with Chinese authorities over case
A Hong Kong court sentenced former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 20 years in prison on Monday for violating the national security law, closing a chapter on what has become a geopolitical flashpoint between China and the West.
In a hearing that lasted less than 10 minutes at West Kowloon Court, three High Court judges handed down penalties to Lai, six senior executives of his Apple Daily tabloid-style newspaper, three companies associated with the now-defunct outlet and two activists.
Lai, 78, had been convicted on two conspiracy counts of collusion with foreign forces under the Beijing-decreed national security law, and a third count of conspiracy to print and distribute seditious articles in breach of local legislation.
The court sentenced Lai to 20 years in prison on three charges, pushing his earliest possible release date to 2044, assuming he is not granted a one-third reduction for good behaviour under the city’s domestic national security law.
He will be 96 by the time he is released.
The six former Apple Daily employees who earlier pleaded guilty received sentences of between six years and nine months and 10 years in prison.