Canada ‘disappointed’ by Jimmy Lai’s 20-year prison sentence in Hong Kong – National
Canada said it was “disappointed” after Jimmy Lai, a former Hong Kong media mogul and staunch critic of Beijing, was sentenced on Monday to 20 years in prison, the longest sentence handed down so far under a China-imposed national security law that has largely silenced the city’s opposition.
Lai, 78, was convicted in December of colluding with other foreign fighters to endanger national security, and of conspiring to publish seditious material. The maximum penalty for his conviction was life in prison.
His co-defendants, six former employees of his newspaper Apple Daily and two activists, received sentences of between 6 years and 3 months, and 10 years for conspiracy-related charges.
Lai smiled and waved to his fans as he arrived for the sentencing. But before he left the courtroom, he looked determined, as some people in the public gallery wept. When asked if they will appeal the case, his lawyer Robert Pang said he has nothing to say.
Foreign Minister Anita Anand added Canada’s voice to the growing list of countries opposing the sentence, including the United States.
“Canada is disappointed by the sentencing of pro-democracy journalist Jimmy Lai today in Hong Kong,” he said in a statement posted on social media.
“Mr. Lai is 78 years old and in poor health and we ask for his immediate release. Canada will continue to support free and independent media around the world.”
Lai’s daughter says she will die a ‘martyr’ in prison
The arrest and trial of a pro-democracy lawyer raised concerns about declining media freedom in what was once Asia’s hotbed of media freedom. The government insists the case has nothing to do with free media, saying the defendants used news reporting as an excuse to commit acts that harm China and Hong Kong.
Lai was one of the first prominent people to be arrested under the security law in 2020. Within a year, some of Apple Daily’s top reporters were also arrested and the newspaper was closed in June 2021.
Lai’s conviction could increase tensions between Beijing and foreign governments, which have criticized Lai’s conviction and sentence.
US President Donald Trump, who is expected to visit China in April, said he felt “very bad” after the decision and noted that he had spoken to Chinese leader Xi Jinping about Lai and asked him to “consider his release.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Monday’s court ruling “a wrong and sad end to this case” and urged Chinese authorities to pardon Lai, adding the sentence “shows the world that Beijing will go above and beyond to silence those fighting for fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government has also called for the release of Lai, who is a British citizen. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called the prosecution “politically motivated,” and said a prison sentence was tantamount to a life sentence.
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In a statement, Lai’s son, Sebastien, said the “heavy” sentence was very painful for his family and put his father’s life at risk. “It means the complete destruction of Hong Kong’s legal system and the end of justice,” he said.
His sister Claire called the sentence “sadly cruel” in the same statement. “If this sentence is received, he will die a martyr’s death in prison,” he said.
Hong Kong leader John Lee said Lai’s sentence reflected the law, citing his serious crimes.
“It brings great satisfaction to the people,” he said in a statement.
In Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lin Jian, said Lai is a Chinese citizen and called him a major organizer and participant in a series of actions to discredit China in Hong Kong. He called on “relevant countries” to respect Hong Kong’s law.
The judges decided that Lai was a genius
Lai founded Apple Daily, a now-active newspaper known for its critical reporting against the governments of Hong Kong and Beijing. He was arrested in August 2020 under a security law that has been used to detain many of Hong Kong’s leading activists for years.
In their decision, the three judges examined by the government wrote that Lai’s sentence was started because they found him to be the mastermind of these allegations. But they also reduced his sentence because they accepted that Lai’s age, health conditions and solitary confinement would make his prison life more burdensome than other prisoners.
“Undoubtedly, Lai was the mastermind of all three charges against him, so he wants him to be sentenced severely,” they said.
They considered that Lai was serving five years and nine months in a separate fraud case and decided that 18 years of Lai’s sentence in the securities case should be served consecutively to that sentence.
Urania Chiu, a law professor at Oxford Brookes University, said the case is important in its broad definition of treasonous intent and the use of the term “collaboration with foreign forces” in certain media activities. What is being said is very scary for journalists and those who work in higher education institutions, he said.
“Offering and publishing official criticism of the regime, which often involves dealing with international forums and audiences, can now be easily interpreted as ‘fake,'” Chiu said.
Lai has been in custody for more than five years. In January, Pang said Lai developed health problems including heart palpitations, high blood pressure and diabetes. The prosecutor said the medical report showed that Lai’s health condition remains stable.
The government said his solitary confinement was Lai’s wish.
The defendants also received reduced sentences
The former Apple Daily employees and activists involved in Lai’s case pleaded guilty, which helped reduce their sentences on Monday. Earlier, they pleaded guilty to charges that prosecutors said they conspired with Lai to ask foreign forces to impose sanctions or embargo, or to take other hostile actions against Hong Kong or China.
The journalists convicted are publisher Cheung Kim-hung, associate publisher Chan Pui-man, editor-in-chief Ryan Law, editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung, English editor-in-chief Fung Wai-kong and editorial writer Yeung Ching-kee. They received sentences ranging from six years and nine to ten months.
The two activists, Andy Li and Chan Tsz-wah, were sentenced to six years and three months, and seven years and three months respectively.
The sentences of Cheung, Chan and Yeung, along with the two activists, were reduced because they were prosecution witnesses and the judges said their testimony had a “significant impact” on Lai’s conviction.
Before sunrise, dozens of people were queuing outside the court building to get seats in court. One of them was Tammy Cheung who was an employee of Apple Daily.
“Whatever happens, it’s the end – at least we’ll know the outcome,” Cheung said before the sentence was handed down.
The case was considered a conflict of interest in Hong Kong affairs
Lai founded Apple Daily in 1995, two years before the former British colony returned to Chinese rule. Its closure in 2021 shocked the local media scene. Hong Kong is ranked 140th out of 180 in a press freedom index compiled by the press freedom organization Reporters Without Borders in 2025, down from 18th in 2002.
Steve Li, a senior official at the National Security Police Department, welcomed the harsh sentence handed down to Lai.
“It is clear that there is nothing good he has done in Hong Kong that could be the basis for his demotion,” he told reporters.
The government said it would seize assets related to Lai’s crimes.
Human Rights Watch Asia director Elaine Pearson said the 20-year sentence is a death sentence, calling it cruel and unjust.
Associated Press writer Chan Ho-him contributed to this report. Additional files from Global News
