Jimmy Lai, Hong Kong pro-democracy figure, sentenced to 20 years in prison for national security offences

The Guardian - World NewsEN 3 min read 100% complete by Amy Hawkins Senior China correspondentFebruary 9, 2026 at 03:13 AM

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Jimmy Lai, a 78-year-old pro-democracy figure and media mogul, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in Hong Kong for national security offenses, including sedition and collusion with foreign forces. The sentencing follows his December conviction and is seen by critics as a sign of increasing suppression of dissent in Hong Kong by Chinese authorities. Lai, the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, was arrested in August 2020 under a national security law imposed in June 2020 that criminalized dissent. International press freedom and human rights groups have condemned the sentence, calling it an attack on press freedom and a sign of Hong Kong's declining rule of law. The British government and Lai's son have called for his release, with the UK Prime Minister raising the case with China's leader.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Sebastien Lai 30% Xi Jinping 30% Keir Starmer 30% United Kingdom ×340% Amnesty International 40% Human Rights Watch 50% Reporters Without Borders 50% China ×260% Apple Daily ×270% Chinese Communist Party ×280% Hong Kong ×790% Jimmy Lai ×11100%

Keywords

jimmy lai 100% hong kong 90% national security offences 80% press freedom 70% pro-democracy movement 70% sedition 60% chinese communist party 60% human rights 50% apple daily 50% dissent 40%