In a further erosion of freedom in Hong Kong, the city’s Chinese-backed government sentenced media mogul and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison on Monday.
“Having stepped back and taking a global view of the total sentence for Lai’s serious and grave criminal conduct … we are satisfied that the total sentence for Lai in the present case should be 20 years’ imprisonment,” Hong Kong’s High Court reportedly wrote in its ruling.
As The Federalist previously reported, Lai — a pro-freedom activist and founder of the city’s now-shuttered largest pro-democracy newspaper (Apple Daily) — was previously convicted by the city’s pro-China government in December “on charges of alleged collusion with foreign powers and sedition.” Most of the charges were brought under Hong Kong’s national security law, which was implemented as a means of further criminalizing dissent and solidifying the Chinese Communist Party and its allies’ control of the city.
According to CNBC, Lai’s 20-year sentence “was the longest handed out under the national security law introduced in 2020, surpassing the 10-year term given to activist Benny Tai, a former law professor who was convicted of conspiring to subvert state power, in November 2024.” Barring any shortening of his sentence or an immediate release, it’s likely the 78-year-old media tycoon — whose health is reportedly declining — will spend the remainder of his life in prison.
[READ: How Jimmy Lai Became Communist China’s Good ‘Troublemaker’]
Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned Lai’s sentencing on behalf of the United States in a Monday statement. The former Florida senator called the decision to imprison the pro-democracy activist “an unjust and tragic conclusion” to the lawfare being waged against him and further urged “authorities to grant Mr. Lai humanitarian parole.”
“It shows the world that Beijing will go to extraordinary lengths to silence those who advocate fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, casting aside the international commitments Beijing made in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration,” Rubio said. “After enduring a trial lasting two years, and detention in prison for more than five, Mr. Lai and his family have suffered enough.”
U.S. President Donald Trump previously expressed sympathy for Lai when the latter was convicted by pro-CCP forces in December. Speaking to reporters, the president said, “I feel so badly” about the situation and revealed that he asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to “consider” releasing the media mogul.
“He’s an older man and he’s not well. So I did put that request out. We’ll see what happens, okay?” Trump said.
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