Jimmy Lai sentenced in Hong Kong over national security conviction

Hong Kong Media Tycoon Jimmy Lai Sentenced Following Conviction

A sentencing session is scheduled for Monday morning, according to the judiciary of the Chinese self-governing territory. Jimmy Lai, 78-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, was found guilty in December of foreign collusion under the city’s national security law. He was also convicted of one count of seditious publication.

Lai will be sentenced alongside eight co-defendants, including six Apple Daily executives. Defence lawyers acknowledged the “grave nature” of the case, which involved Lai calling for foreign sanctions. The verdict stated that Lai harboured resentment towards China and sought the downfall of the Chinese Communist Party.

Prosecutors cited 161 items published by Apple Daily in their case against Lai, citing a colonial-era law that deemed them seditious due to their potential to excite disaffection against the government. Lai maintained that he never sought to influence foreign policies, stating that Apple Daily represented Hongkongers’ core values.

International leaders have expressed concern over Lai’s conviction. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump have called for Lai’s release, while human rights groups have condemned the trial as a threat to press freedom in Hong Kong. The European Union has described the conviction as “emblematic of the erosion of democracy and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong”.

Source: Al Jazeera