A Hong Kong court began hearing sentencing arguments on Monday against pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai, convicted under national security laws that could send him to prison for life. Lai, who founded the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, was found guilty last month on two counts of conspiracy to commit collusion under the stringent national security law extended by Beijing in 2020.
He was arrested for publishing seditious articles through his newspaper, which authorities said undermined China’s sovereignty over the semi-autonomous territory.
Lai, a British citizen, has received strong backing from the UK government, which described the prosecution as “politically motivated” and called for his immediate release. Similarly, US President Donald Trump said he had asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to consider releasing Lai.
A three-judge panel of the High Court will hear arguments on sentencing starting at 10 a.m. (0200 GMT), with proceedings scheduled to last four days. The court has yet to announce a date for Lai’s sentencing, though he can appeal once the verdict is delivered.
Also Read: Trump presses Xi Jinping for release of Jimmy Lai
In their 856-page verdict, the judges wrote that Lai “harboured resentment and hatred of China for many of his adult years” and sought the “downfall of the Chinese Communist Party”.
The law states that “collusion offences are grave and can result in a prison term of 10 years or even life, depending upon the gravity of the crime.” Lai has been behind bars since 2020, and authorities say he has been kept in solitary confinement at his own request. Lai’s family has accused authorities of ill-treatment, though the Hong Kong government rejected the claims and said he “was treated well and received adequate health check-ups while in custody.”
Amnesty International said last month that "Lai’s conviction feels like the death knell for press freedom in Hong Kong," while the Committee to Protect Journalists called it a sham.
Hong Kong had arrested 385 people for various national security crimes and convicted 175 of them as of January 1, according to official figures.
Follow us
