Jimmy Lai sentenced: What happened to other HK pro-democracy protesters?

Al JazeeraEN 9 min read 100% complete by Yashraj SharmaFebruary 9, 2026 at 05:12 PM

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long article 9 min

Jimmy Lai, a 78-year-old Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and media mogul, was sentenced to 20 years in prison under Beijing's national security law, a sentence rights groups deem effectively a life sentence. Lai, founder of the now-closed Apple Daily, was convicted on charges including foreign collusion and seditious publication, stemming from his arrest in August 2020. The sentencing highlights China's crackdown on pro-democracy movements in Hong Kong following the 2019 protests against Beijing's expanding powers. China imposed the national security law in 2020, criminalizing protest and subversion, leading to a high conviction rate for pro-democracy activists. Lai's case has garnered international attention, raising concerns about the erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) 40% Stanley Prison ×240% Communist Party 40% Apple Daily ×260% Beijing ×270% National Security Law ×380% China ×485% Hong Kong ×1090% Jimmy Lai ×695%

Keywords

jimmy lai 100% hong kong 90% pro-democracy 80% national security law 80% protesters 70% china 70% sedition 60% apple daily 50% political prisoners 50%

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Al Jazeera

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jimmy lai hong kong pro-democracy national security law protesters china sedition apple daily political prisoners

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