Hong Kong begins sentencing hearings for media tycoon Jimmy Lai, convicted under national security law as global concern over press freedom deepens.
Newsroom (12/01/2026 Gaudium Press) A Hong Kong court began hearing sentencing arguments on January 12 for pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai, convicted of national security crimes that could send him to prison for life. The 78-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily was found guilty last month on two counts of conspiracy to commit collusion under Beijing’s sweeping 2020 national security law, enacted after mass protests shook the city.
In addition to the collusion charges, Lai was convicted of publishing seditious articles through Apple Daily, once the territory’s most vocal pro-democracy newspaper. Lawyers for both sides began addressing a panel of three High Court judges at 10 a.m. local time, with arguments scheduled to continue for four days. The court has not yet announced when sentencing will be delivered, though Lai retains the right to appeal.
A Polarized Case
Lai’s trial has drawn international condemnation. The British government, calling him a British citizen unlawfully targeted, denounced the proceedings as a “politically motivated prosecution” and reiterated its call for his immediate release. In the United States, former President Donald Trump said he had personally urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to consider freeing Lai.
The judges, in an 856-page verdict, wrote that Lai had “harboured resentment and hatred” toward China and sought the “downfall of the Chinese Communist Party.” Under the national security law, collusion offenses deemed “of a grave nature” carry prison sentences ranging from ten years to life. His additional conviction under the colonial-era sedition statute could add up to two more years.
Public and Co-Defendants
Outside Hong Kong’s West Kowloon courthouse, dozens queued over the weekend to secure seats in the public gallery. Many said they came to show solidarity with Lai, a symbol of resistance for the city’s shrinking pro-democracy camp.
Judges began the January 12 hearing by confirming the guilty pleas of two co-defendants, Chan Tsz-wah and Li Yu-hin. Both men, along with six former Apple Daily executives, have pleaded guilty as part of the same case and are also awaiting sentencing.
Health and Confinement
Lai has been behind bars since 2020. Authorities say he has remained in solitary confinement at his own request, though his children—Sebastien and Claire—warned last year that his health had deteriorated sharply. They cited his diabetes, weight loss, and signs of nail and tooth decay.
The Hong Kong government has denied any neglect, insisting Lai received “adequate and comprehensive” medical care in detention.
Global Concern for Press Freedom
Rights organizations argue Lai’s case signals the collapse of press freedom in the city once hailed as Asia’s media hub. Amnesty International described his conviction as “the death knell for press freedom in Hong Kong,” while the Committee to Protect Journalists called it “a sham.” The government, however, maintains the case “has nothing to do with freedom of speech and of the press,” claiming Lai used journalism as “a front to commit crimes.”
Official data show that, as of January 1, authorities had arrested 385 people for national security offenses and secured 175 convictions. Police made nearly 70 such arrests in 2025—more than double the previous year’s figure.
As Lai awaits his fate, his case remains a defining test of Beijing’s grip over Hong Kong and the future of dissent in a city once synonymous with open expression.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCA News
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