Micah Jonah, February 10, 2026
Hong Kong Chief Executive, John Lee has defended and praised the sentencing of pro democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison, describing the punishment as justified and in line with the rule of law.
Lee said Lai committed numerous serious offences, accusing him of actions that undermined public order and encouraged instability in Hong Kong during the 2019 anti government protests. According to him, the lengthy prison sentence reflects that justice has been served and that the city’s legal system remains firm.
Jimmy Lai, founder of the now defunct Apple Daily newspaper, was sentenced on Monday alongside eight other defendants, including former staff members of the publication. The co defendants received prison terms ranging from six years and three months to ten years, while Lai received the longest sentence.
The conviction marks the harshest sentence handed down under Hong Kong’s national security framework since its introduction in 2020. Lai was found guilty of colluding with foreign forces and sedition, charges linked to his support for the protests and alleged lobbying of foreign governments for sanctions against Hong Kong officials.
The sentence has drawn sharp criticism from several Western governments and international organisations. Officials in the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as the United Nations, described the ruling as unjust and called for Lai’s immediate release on humanitarian grounds, citing his age and declining health.
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the verdict demonstrated an attempt to silence voices advocating civil liberties in Hong Kong. British officials also expressed concern, noting that the 78 year old’s sentence was effectively a life term.
Lai’s family has raised fears over his health in custody, with his son describing the sentence as a death sentence given his father’s condition.
Despite the international backlash, Chinese authorities have maintained that the national security laws are necessary to safeguard stability. A report released by China’s State Council described Lai and others convicted under the law as agitators who sought to destabilise Hong Kong and were punished according to the law.
