Hong Kong democracy advocate Jimmy Lai's sentence raises international outcry as China defends it
#Jimmy Lai #Hong Kong #National Security Law #Apple Daily #Sedition #China #Democracy advocate #Foreign collusion
📌 Key Takeaways
- Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison for foreign collusion and sedition under Hong Kong's National Security Law.
- International bodies like the UN, EU, and various Western governments have called for Lai's immediate release on humanitarian grounds.
- China and Hong Kong officials defend the sentence as a lawful protection of national security and internal sovereignty.
- The sentencing has triggered new diplomatic tensions, including proposed U.S. sanctions and expanded U.K. immigration paths for Hong Kongers.
📖 Full Retelling
🏷️ Themes
Human Rights, Geopolitics, Press Freedom
📚 Related People & Topics
Hong Kong
Special administrative region of China
# Hong Kong **Hong Kong**, officially the **Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China** (HKSAR), is a highly urbanized metropolitan area and special administrative region located on the southern coast of China. ### Geography Situated immediately south of the city of...
Sedition
Incitement of rebellion
Sedition is overt conduct, such as speech or organization, that tends toward rebellion against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent toward, or insurrection against, established authority. Sedition may include any commotion, though n...
Apple Daily
1995–2021 Hong Kong–based newspaper
Apple Daily (Chinese: 蘋果日報; Jyutping: ping4 gwo2 jat6 bou3) was a Chinese-language newspaper published in Hong Kong from 1995 to 2021, with an English-language online edition launched in 2020. Founded by Jimmy Lai and part of Next Media, Apple Daily was known for introducing tabloid journalism to Ho...
Jimmy Lai
Hong Kong businessman and activist (born 1947)
# Jimmy Lai (Lai Chee-ying) **Lai Chee-ying** (Chinese: 黎智英; born 8 December 1947), widely known as **Jimmy Lai**, is a prominent British-Hong Kong entrepreneur, media mogul, and political activist. He is recognized as a central figure in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement. ### Professional Career...
National Security Act
Topics referred to by the same term
# National Security Act The term **National Security Act** or **National Security Law** refers to various pieces of legislation enacted by sovereign states to govern matters of defense, intelligence, and internal stability. ### National Security Acts * **National Security Act (India):** A 1980 l...
🔗 Entity Intersection Graph
Connections for Hong Kong:
- 👤 National Security Act (19 shared articles)
- 👤 Jimmy Lai (18 shared articles)
- 👤 Apple Daily (16 shared articles)
- 🌐 Beijing (6 shared articles)
- 👤 Anna Kwok (2 shared articles)
- 🌐 China (2 shared articles)
- 🌐 Freedom of the press (2 shared articles)
- 🌐 Sedition (2 shared articles)
- 🌐 Journalism (1 shared articles)
- 👤 Free Press (1 shared articles)
- 👤 John Lee (1 shared articles)
- 🌐 British nationality law (1 shared articles)
📄 Original Source Content
By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Hong Kong democracy advocate Jimmy Lai's sentence raises international outcry as China defends it World Feb 9, 2026 12:37 PM EST HONG KONG — Monday's sentencing of Hong Kong democracy advocate and one-time media magnate Jimmy Lai brought an outcry from governments and rights groups. Chinese and Hong Kong authorities defended it, saying it reflected the spirit of the rule of law. The 78-year-old Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being found guilty in December of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and conspiring with others to publish seditious articles. His co-defendants, who entered guilty pleas to the collusion-related charge, received prison terms ranging from six years and three months to 10 years. WATCH: 'He has suffered enough,' Jimmy Lai's daughter says after his conviction in Hong Kong Some foreign governments called for the release of Lai, a British citizen. China's Foreign Ministry maintained that Lai is a Chinese citizen and urged countries to respect its sovereignty. Here are reactions: United Nations The U.N. human rights chief, Volker Türk, said Lai was punished for "exercising rights protected under international law" and that the sentence must be quashed. His office raised concerns that the charges' broad scope risks criminalizing legitimate activities of civil society organizations and journalists. "This is part of a broader repressive trend in Hong Kong, where hundreds have been arrested and prosecuted under these laws," Türk said. Hong Kong Hong Kong's secretary for security, Chris Tang, accused "external forces" of ignoring the facts while criticizing the case as a "so-called 'political prosecution.'" Hong Kong leader John Lee said Lai had used Apple Daily to "poison" residents and incite hatred. He said Lai deserved the sentence because he openly asked for foreign sanction...