Pope Leo says he 'can't comment' on 20-year sentence of Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai

Fox News - WorldCenter-RightEN 2 min read 100% complete by Brie StimsonMarch 6, 2026 at 11:14 PM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Pope Leo XIV declined to comment on the 20-year sentence given to Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, stating he "can't comment" but would pray for peace and dialogue. Lai, a Catholic convert and founder of the now-closed Apple Daily, was sentenced by Beijing for violating its 2020 national security law. The sentence follows Lai's arrest during the 2019 Hong Kong protests and the subsequent crackdown on dissent after Beijing imposed the sweeping new law. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the sentence "unjust and tragic," while President Trump stated he had previously asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to consider Lai's release. Lai's case is considered one of the most consequential national security cases since the 2020 law was enacted.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Xi Jinping 40% Donald Trump ×250% Apple Daily 50% United States 60% China ×270% Marco Rubio ×270% Beijing ×380% Hong Kong ×590% Pope Leo XIV 90% Jimmy Lai ×8100%

Keywords

jimmy lai 100% hong kong 90% democracy activist 80% national security law 80% china 70% political sentence 60% freedom of speech 50% pope leo xiv 50% humanitarian parole 40%