Jimmy Lai, a prominent critic of Beijing and former media mogul, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison under Hong Kong’s national security law. This marks the longest sentence handed down under the law, which has been used to suppress dissent in the city. Lai, aged 78, was convicted in December for colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security and for publishing seditious articles. His co-defendants, including six former employees of his now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper and two activists, received sentences ranging from 6 years and 3 months to 10 years.
Lai, a staunch pro-democracy advocate, was one of the first high-profile figures arrested under the security law in 2020. His conviction has sparked international concern over the erosion of press freedom in Hong Kong, once a beacon of media independence in Asia. The government, however, maintains that the case is unrelated to press freedom, arguing that the defendants used journalism as a cover for actions harmful to China and Hong Kong.
The sentencing has drawn criticism from the United States and the United Kingdom. U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his dismay at the verdict and mentioned discussing Lai’s case with Chinese President Xi Jinping, urging consideration for Lai’s release. The UK government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, also called for Lai’s release, emphasizing his British citizenship.
Lai’s family has condemned the sentence as excessively harsh, with his son Sebastien describing it as a threat to his father’s life and a blow to Hong Kong’s legal system. His daughter Claire labeled the punishment as “cruel,” fearing that Lai might die in prison. Lai’s lawyer, Robert Pang, declined to comment on potential appeals.
The court, comprising three government-approved judges, justified the increased sentence by identifying Lai as the mastermind behind the conspiracies. However, they acknowledged his age, health issues, and solitary confinement as factors that would make his imprisonment more severe than for others. Lai is already serving a separate sentence of 5 years and 9 months for fraud, with 18 years of the new sentence to be served consecutively.
The closure of Apple Daily in 2021, following the arrests of its senior journalists, was a significant blow to Hong Kong’s media landscape. The city has since plummeted in the global press freedom rankings. Human rights organizations have criticized the sentence, with Human Rights Watch’s Asia director, Elaine Pearson, calling it a “de facto death sentence” due to its severity.
Fonte:https://g1.globo.com/mundo/noticia/2026/02/09/jimmy-lai-condenado.ghtml
