Hong Kong ex-media mogul Jimmy Lai will not appeal national security conviction, legal team says
The Asahi Shimbun14 hrs
Jimmy Lai Won't Appeal 20-Year Sentence in Hong Kong
Is Jimmy Lai's sentence political persecution of press freedom or justified punishment for foreign collusion?
Above: Jimmy Lai, the owner of the Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily, as seen in his office in the New Territories on June 30, 2020. Image credit: Tommy Walker/NurPhoto/Getty Images
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
Jimmy Lai's 20-year sentence under Beijing's national security law represents the harshest crackdown yet on press freedom in Hong Kong, with international leaders and U.N. officials condemning it as politically motivated persecution incompatible with international law. The draconian punishment effectively amounts to a life sentence for the 78-year-old British citizen who simply exercised his right to free expression.
Pro-China narrative
The severe 20-year sentence demonstrates Hong Kong's commitment to the rule of law after Lai masterminded a conspiracy to lobby foreign powers for sanctions against China and the city. The conviction followed a fair trial where Lai received equal treatment under the national security law that successfully restored order following the 2019 unrest.
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© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0