Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in prison in Hong Kong’s biggest media trial

New York, February 9, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists on Monday condemned the 20-year prison sentence handed down to publisher Jimmy Lai, the founder of now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, in Hong Kong’s biggest media trial.

“The rule of law has been completely shattered in Hong Kong,” said CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg. “Today’s egregious decision is the final nail in the coffin for freedom of the press in Hong Kong. The international community must step up its pressure to free Jimmy Lai if we want press freedom to be respected anywhere in the world.”

Lai, a British citizen, has been in jail since 2020, amid concerns over his deteriorating health. 

The 78-year-old was convicted on December 15 on two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious material. He was arrested in December 2020 under a Beijing-imposed national security law that was used to quell protests and silence dissent, including the work of journalists.