The British government has vowed to “rapidly engage further" with the Chinese authorities after Hong Kong’s media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison, the heaviest penalty ever handed out under the city's national security law.
Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper said the jail term was “tantamount to a life sentence” as she raised concerns over his “appalling” health condition in solitary confinement.The 78-year-old Briton was found guilty in December of two charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under a China-imposed national security law, as well as a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious material.
Lai, a pro-democracy campaigner and founder of the now-shutteredApple Daily newspaper, has always denied all wrongdoing.
Today, three handpicked judges vetted by Hong Kong leaders cited Lai’s “serious and grave criminal conduct” in handing down 20 years in prison. Six other former executives of the paper were also sentenced with terms ranging from six years and nine months to 10 years.
Lai's family has raised renewed concerns over his health and alleged mistreatment in solitary confinement, saying after today's sentence that he will most likely "die a martyr" in jail.
Key Points
- Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in prison
- UK will 'rapidly engage further' with China on Lai's case
- 'Effectively a death sentence' for Lai, Human Rights Watch says
- Court declines to reduce sentence over Lai’s health concerns
- Hong Kong's chief says Lai's sentence is 'deeply gratifying'
Judges cite ‘extensive roles’ in sentencing six former Apple Daily staff
11:00 , Shweta SharmaSix former Apple Daily employees have been sentenced for their roles in a national security case.
Ryan Law, Lam Man-chung, and Fung Wai-kong each received 10-year terms, while Cheung Kim-hung, Chan Pui-man, and Yeung Ching-kee were given shorter sentences after testifying against Jimmy Lai.
In the sentencing document, the three presiding judges – Alex Lee, Esther Toh, and Susana Maria D’Almada Remedios – described Lai as “no doubt the mastermind.”
They added that while the relative culpability of the co-defendants was harder to gauge, all were “knowing parties” whose roles were “active, affirmative and extensive.”
ICYMI: National security police ‘still investigating’ after Lai gets 20 years
10:30 , Shweta SharmaHong Kong’s national security police head has said that authorities are “still investigating some matters” after pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Steve Li welcomed the court’s “imposition of a heavy sentence” on Lai, “demonstrating the court’s determination that his offence [was] of a very serious… nature.”
“Obviously, he has done nothing good for Hong Kong that could serve as a basis for his mitigation,” Li told reporters.
When asked if sentencing marked the end of prosecutions against Lai, Apple Daily, and related entities, Li said “we are still investigating some matters,” but he was not at liberty to disclose the investigations.
Australia calls on China to 'cease suppression of freedoms of expression'
10:00 , Shweta SharmaAustralia’s foreign minister Penny Wong has joined the chorus of condemnation over Jimmy Lai’s sentencing.
“The Australian Government is gravely concerned by the sentences handed down to Jimmy Lai and his co-defendants in Hong Kong today,” she said.
“We continue to call on China to cease suppression of freedoms of expression, assembly, media and civil society, consistent with UN Human Rights Committee recommendations, and to call for the repeal of the National Security Law in Hong Kong.”
Hong Kong Journalists Association says unable to speak freely
09:56 , Shweta SharmaThe Hong Kong Journalists Association has not issued a statement yet on Jimmy Lai's sentencing.
When contacted by The Independent, its chair Selina Cheng says: “I’m unable to speak freely about the Apple Daily sentencing.”
Jimmy Lai’s lead international lawyer calls sentence a ‘final blow to rule of law’
09:40 , Shweta SharmaCaolfhionn Gallagher, lead counsel on Jimmy Lai’s international legal team, said today marks the final blow to the rule of law in Hong Kong.
“Sentencing Jimmy Lai, already 78, to two decades behind bars is an affront to justice and the culmination of over five years of malicious lawfare against a courageous, elderly British citizen and prisoner of conscience,” he said.
“Now that this sham trial is finally over, we call on leaders around the world to speak with one voice in demanding that China free Jimmy Lai.”
Jimmy Lai's son says he is 'effectively sentenced to death' for heroism
09:14 , Shweta SharmaJimmy Lai’s son Sebastien Lai has said the 20-year sentence is “basically a death sentence”, given his health conditions.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: “For that heroism, he's being punished, he's essentially getting a death sentence for that”.
"Surely a man who has given so much for liberty, for freedom, deserves a bit of it himself."
Lai’s imprisonment is 'cold-blooded attack' on freedom of expression
08:58 , Shweta SharmaAmnesty International has become the latest to condemn Jimmy Lai’s sentencing this morning.
“This sentencing marks another grim milestone in Hong Kong’s transformation from a city governed by the rule of law to one ruled by fear. Imprisoning a 78-year-old man for doing nothing more than exercising his rights shows a complete disregard for human dignity. Every day he spends in behind bars is a grave injustice,” deputy regional director Sarah Brooks said.
“With this ruling we see yet again how Hong Kong’s National Security Law is being used to distort fundamental freedoms into criminal acts. Jimmy Lai’s imprisonment is a cold-blooded attack of freedom of expression that epitomizes the systematic dismantling of rights that once defined Hong Kong.
“Jimmy Lai is a prisoner of conscience who should never have spent a single day behind bars. The Hong Kong authorities must immediately and unconditionally release him.”
Jimmy Lai's sentencing in pictures
08:49 , Shweta SharmaDozens of Lai’s supporters camped outside the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts to secure a seat starting early in the night.
Police vans, armoured vehicles, and sniffer dogs maintained a heavy presence around the court.
Teresa Lai, Jimmy’s wife, and retired Cardinal Joseph Zen were seen entering the court. She appeared visibly distressed as they left after the sentencing concluded.
EU condemns 20-year jail sentence handed to Jimmy Lai
08:38 , Shweta SharmaThe European Union called for the immediate release of Jimmy Lai as it condemned the sentencing as political prosecution.
“The politically motivated prosecution of Jimmy Lai and the former Apple Daily executives and journalists harms Hong Kong’s reputation,” the EU’s foreign policy department said in a statement.
“The EU calls on Hong Kong authorities to restore confidence in press freedom – one of the pillars of the city’s historic success as an international financial centre – and to stop prosecuting journalists.”
Japan says it is seriously concerned about Lai's verdict
08:30 , Shweta SharmaThe Japanese government said it is "seriously concerned" about the potential impact of the 20-year prison sentence handed to Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai on the city’s freedom of speech, top government spokesperson Minoru Kihara said today.
Who is Jimmy Lai? British citizen and democracy activist sentenced in Hong Kong
08:21 , Shweta SharmaHong Kong pro-democracy activist and media mogul Jimmy Lai was being heralded by supporters as the city’s “conscience” on Monday after he was sentenced to 20 years in prison on national security charges.
Once a penniless teenage refugee who arrived in Hong Kong as a stowaway, Mr Lai rose to become one of the city’s most influential media tycoons has now become its most prominent political prisoner.
Mr Lai, 78, has been handed the longest sentence so far under Hong Kong's controversial national security laws, which were introduced in 2020 following a period of city-wide protests.
Who is Jimmy Lai? British citizen and democracy activist sentenced in Hong Kong
China tells other countries not to make 'irresponsible remarks' on Lai's case
08:15 , Shweta SharmaThe Chinese foreign ministry has pre-empted what is likely to be widespread international condemnation of Jimmy Lai's sentencing today, describing criticism of its handling of the case as “irresponsible remarks”.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian called on "the countries concerned to respect China’s sovereignty and Hong Kong’s legal system, refrain from making irresponsible remarks... and not [to] interfere in Hong Kong’s judiciary or China’s internal affairs in any form".
The spokesperson said Lai was "a principal planner and participant in a series of anti-China, destabilising activities in Hong Kong".
"His actions have severely undermined the fundamental principles of 'one country, two systems', seriously endangered national security, and gravely harmed Hong Kong’s prosperity, stability, and the well-being of its citizens," Mr Lin said.
China says critic Jimmy Lai 'deserved' to be severely punished by law
07:39 , Shweta SharmaHong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai “deserved to be severely punished under the law,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said, following a Hong Kong court’s decision to sentence the 78-year-old to 20 years in prison.
“Hong Kong’s judicial organs have performed their duties,” spokesperson Lin Jian said during a regular press briefing.
The Chinese central government “firmly supports Hong Kong in safeguarding national security in accordance with the law,” Lin added.
Jimmy Lai has not been pictured since 2023
07:30 , Shweta SharmaJimmy Lai has not been photographed publicly since his trial began in 2023.
The media mogul’s movements to and from hearings have been closely guarded, with a Correctional Services Department van with heavily tinted windows transporting him between the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court and the facility where he is being held.
The last images to be taken of him were low-resolution photos showing him walking through Stanley Prison in Hong Kong on 28 July 2023.
In those photos, which were taken by the Associated Press, Lai appeared thinner and dressed casually in shorts and sandals as he walked outside in the prison yard under guard, part of his limited daily exercise routine in a maximum‑security facility.
The images offered one of the few visual updates on his condition since he was arrested under the national security law and taken into custody in 2020.
In one picture, he was seen with a book in his hand. Since then, he has remained elusive from the media’s cameras.
British MP Priti Patel lashes out at Starmer government for not securing Lai's release
07:24 , Shweta SharmaBritish MP Priti Patel called Jimmy Lai’s sentencing an outrage, calling him a courageous and brave advocate for the freedoms of Hong Kongers.
“The Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Labour Government should be ashamed of themselves for not securing the release of Jimmy. Spineless Starmer gave the Chinese Communist Party their super embassy spyhub and then went to Beijing to kowtow to President Xi begging for Chinese investment,” she wrote on X.
She said Conservatives will continue to fight for Jimmy to be released, oppose China’s super embassy and call for action to be taken to defend Britain from the CCP’s threats.
UK will 'rapidly engage further' with China on Lai's case
06:52 , Shweta SharmaForeign secretary Yvette Cooper has called on Hong Kong's authorities to end the "appalling ordeal" of jailed pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai.
She said the British government "will rapidly engage further" with Chinese authorities on Lai's case.
In a statement posted on X by the Foreign Office, Ms Cooper described the prosecution as politically motivated and said Lai had been "exercising his right to freedom of expression".
"Beijing's National Security Law was imposed on Hong Kong to silence China's critics," she said.
"For the 78-year-old, this is tantamount to a life sentence.
"I remain deeply concerned for Mr Lai's health, and I again call on the Hong Kong authorities to end his appalling ordeal and release him on humanitarian grounds, so that he may be reunited with his family."
British National Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison – tantamount to a life sentence for a 78-year-old.
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) February 9, 2026
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper’s statement ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/Ch5QWlx4We
Hong Kong's chief says Lai's sentence is 'deeply gratifying'
06:31 , Shweta SharmaHong Kong’s chief executive John Lee has said Jimmy Lai’s sentencing is "deeply gratifying", as he called his crimes "heinous" and "utterly despicable".
"For a long time, Lai used Apple Daily to poison the minds of citizens, incite hatred, distort facts, deliberately create social division, glorify violence, and openly beg external forces to sanction China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region," Lee wrote in a Facebook post.
"Jimmy Lai's heinous acts endangering national security have harmed the interests of the country and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as well as the interests of the citizens."
He said the sentencing was "a significant milestone in Hong Kong's efforts to safeguard national security".
Inside the Hong Kong newsrooms stifled by fear after Jimmy Lai’s conviction
06:12 , Shweta SharmaNow that Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, read my detailed report on what it means for press freedom in Hong Kong.
I spoke to editors, journalists and activists in the city, who told me how Hong Kong’s media is increasingly moving towards the model seen in mainland China.
Inside the Hong Kong newsrooms stifled by fear after Jimmy Lai’s conviction
Jimmy Lai's sentence is 'not justice, it is punishment for dissent'
05:35 , Shweta SharmaA statement released by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) said Jimmy Lai's case has come to symbolise the dismantling of Hong Kong’s freedoms.
The statement, signed by 86 politicians, including US Senator Jeff Merkley and Lord Alton of Liverpool, said:
“This moment did not arise in isolation. It has been made possible by the sustained failure of the international community to enforce the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a binding international treaty registered at the United Nations. As Beijing dismantled Hong Kong’s autonomy, free press and rule of law, governments spoke out, but failed to act.
“The imposition of a 20-year sentence on a 78-year-old publisher for peaceful political expression is not justice. It is punishment for dissent, enabled by impunity.
“IPAC calls on democratic governments to respond accordingly through coordinated diplomatic pressure, and accountability.
“Jimmy Lai’s persecution serves as irrefutable proof that Hong Kong’s legal system answers to Beijing, and must not be afforded any status to distinguish it from China."
Jimmy Lai is the 'conscience of Hong Kong', his supporter says
05:08 , Shweta SharmaA supporter of Jimmy Lai queued outside the court for days and slept there overnight in order to keep his place in the queue, finally securing a seat in the courtroom.
"I feel that Lai is the conscience of Hong Kong," said the man named Sum, 64, on the day of sentencing.
“He speaks up for the people of Hong Kong, and also for many wrongful cases in mainland China and for the development of democracy. Spending a few days of my own freedom sleeping out here feels better than seeing him locked up inside.”
Hong Kong police say they are examining whether authorities want to appeal for longer sentence for Lai
04:50 , Shweta SharmaSteve Li, the head of Hong Kong police's National Security Department, welcomed the media tycoon Jimmy Lai's 20-year sentence on three national security charges, saying it was "appropriate".
He said the claims about his frail health are "exaggerated".
He added that the police would be in contact with the Department of Justice to consider whether the authorities wanted to seek longer sentences through appeals.
He added Li that “we are still investigating some matters”, but he does not have the liberty to disclose what those investigations were.
Lai would be 96 by the time he completes his sentence
04:37 , Shweta SharmaJimmy Lai, 78, would be 96 years old by the time he completes his 20-year prison term in 2044.
In Hong Kong, prisoners are provided one-third remission of their jail term on the grounds of good behaviour.
Even then, Lai would be around 90 if he were to be released in 2037.
He is set to serve another 18 years from today because of time already served during his lengthy trial.
Recap: Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in prison
04:27 , Shweta SharmaJimmy Lai, the pro-democracy media mogul who spent decades as a defiant critic of Beijing, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
It marks the harshest sentence he could have possibly received in the national security trial that was closely watched around the world.
The landmark ruling caps a three-year campaign by Beijing to neutralise a figure it has accused of orchestrating Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement.
Lai smiled and waved towards the public gallery after his sentence was handed down, while his wife, Teresa Lai, sat with her arms folded, her expression impassive.
Weeping could be heard from the back of the gallery as the courtroom absorbed the ruling.
The judge said the sentencing was for “Lai’s serious and grave criminal conduct”.
”..we are satisfied that the total sentence for Lai in the present case should be 20 years’ imprisonment," the court documents said.
Although Lai was convicted on three separate counts carrying a combined potential sentence of more than 35 years, the court ruled that some of the terms would be served concurrently, resulting in a total prison sentence of 20 years, according to the judgment.
Jimmy Lai's sentencing day in pictures
04:07 , Shweta SharmaWe have more images from outside the court showing supporters, family members and members of the media gathered there.
Jimmy Lai’s wife, Teresa Lai, was visibly in tears as she left the building, surrounded by onlookers and journalists.
Hong Kong national security police addresses media
03:55 , Shweta SharmaHong Kong national security police chief Steve Li says Jimmy Lai's case demonstrates the city’s rule of law.
Li said the case against media tycoon Lai showcased the city’s rule of law and the functioning of its judicial system.
Jimmy Lai's family say he will 'die a martyr behind bars'
03:50 , Shweta SharmaJimmy Lai’s son, who has long campaigned for his father’s release, has reacted to his sentencing this morning to 20 years in prison.
"Today is a dark day for anyone who believes in truth, freedom and justice," Sebastien Lai said in a statement.
"It signifies the total destruction of the Hong Kong legal system and the end of justice."
Jimmy Lai's daughter Claire Lai called the sentence "heartbreakingly cruel".
"He will die a martyr behind bars," she said.
Sending Lai into exile would be in everyone’s interest, author says
03:35 , Shweta SharmaMark Clifford, the author of The Troublemaker, a book about Jimmy Lai, said the media tycoon’s two-year trial was “just for show” and described the 20-year sentence as exceptionally severe.
“It seems clear they want him to spend the rest of his life in prison,” Clifford, who is also the president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, said.
He added that Lai would do so unless there was a political solution allowing him to leave Hong Kong.
“Twenty years for a 78-year-old man is effectively a life sentence – or a death sentence.
”He added: “China needs to understand that Lai is more trouble in prison than outside it."
“His continued imprisonment makes a thawing of relations between the United States and China difficult. Sending him into exile would be in everyone’s interest.”
What is Hong Kong's far-reaching national security law?
03:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneJimmy Lai has been convicted under Hong Kong’s broad national security law.
The law, known as Article 23, is said to crimes including treason, sedition, theft of state secrets, espionage, and "external interference" including from foreign governments.
But activists and lawmakers have said the new law criminalises basic human rights such as freedom of expression.
"Many of these proposed provisions are vague and criminalise people’s peaceful exercises of human rights, including the rights to freedom of association, assembly, expression and the press," a group of 80 civil society groups, including British-based Hong Kong Watch, wrote in a joint letter in February 2024.
Former Apple Daily reporter says sentence means an 'avalanche' on Hong Kong's press freedom
03:23 , Shweta SharmaA former Apple Daily reporter, surnamed Wong, warned that the sentencing could further accelerate the decline of Hong Kong’s media industry.
“Now that ‘red lines’ have formally become part of the judgments and sentences, the news industry – already severely weakened – will shrink even further,” Wong said.
“If the sentences are used to set the boundaries at the maximum level, it won’t just add insult to injury for press freedom; it will be an avalanche.”
Taiwan condemns ‘harsh’ sentence for Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai
03:16 , Shweta SharmaTaiwan’s government on Monday condemned the “harsh” sentence handed down to Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai and called for his release.
In a statement, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said Lai’s sentence under Hong Kong’s national security law not only deprived him of his personal liberty, but also trampled on freedom of speech and press freedom.
The council added that the ruling denied people their basic right to hold those in power to account.
Police chief to address media shortly
03:14 , Shweta SharmaPolice Chief Superintendent Steve Li is expected to address the media outside the court shortly.
Jimmy Lai's friend says 'they have killed Hong Kong'
03:12 , Shweta SharmaFather Robert Alan Sirico, Jimmy Lai’s longtime friend, has condemned the sentence as “cynical,” saying the court had effectively handed Lai a life sentence without stating so explicitly.
“This was expected, of course,” Sirico, who is the co-founder and President Emeritus of the Acton Institute, told The Independent.
“This court has shown its bias against Jimmy from the outset in not permitting him to have lawyers of his choice,” he said.
He also pointed to the authorities’ decision to raid and shut down Lai’s businesses and freeze his assets before the trial, saying no serious observer had expected a different outcome.
Sirico said he had spent time with Lai’s daughter last week, describing the family as “remarkably faith-filled” and saying their faith had deepened through the ordeal.
“The Communists may think they have sentenced a capitalist, a free speech advocate and a Christian,” he said. “But in reality, they have killed Hong Kong.”
Court declines to reduce sentence over Lai’s health concerns
02:58 , Shweta SharmaThe court said it was “not inclined” to impose a lighter sentence on Jimmy Lai on medical grounds, noting that health considerations rarely justify leniency in serious cases.
"We note that the general rule is that medical grounds will seldom, if ever, be a basis for reducing the sentence for crimes of gravity," it said in the ruling.
Lai’s barrister had told the court that he suffers from hypertension, diabetes and other health conditions.
'Effectively a death sentence' for Lai, Human Rights Watch says
02:52 , Shweta SharmaHuman Rights Watch condemned the 20-year prison sentence handed to Jimmy Lai, describing it as “effectively a death sentence.”
Lai will be 98 by the time he has served the full sentence handed down on Monday morning.
Elaine Pearson, the organisation’s Asia director, said the punishment was “both cruel and profoundly unjust.”
“The harsh 20-year sentence against 78-year-old Jimmy Lai is effectively a death sentence. A sentence of this magnitude is both cruel and profoundly unjust. Lai’s years of persecution show the Chinese government’s determination to crush independent journalism and silence anyone who dares to criticize the Communist Party.”
Picture shows Lai's wife leaving the court
02:47 , Shweta SharmaPictures have now emerged of Teresa Lai, the wife of convicted pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai, and Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, the retired Catholic bishop, leaving the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Monday following Lai’s sentencing.
She appeared emotional and was holding back tears as she left.
The hearing lasted just 30 minutes on Monday morning.
Reporters Without Borders: 'Today the curtain falls on press freedom in Hong Kong'
02:39 , Shweta SharmaReporters Without Borders has condemned Jimmy Lai’s sentencing, saying the decision underscores the complete collapse of press freedom in Hong Kong and the authorities’ profound contempt for independent journalism.
“From Lai’s arrest to his trial and conviction, this legal process has been nothing more than a sham. Democracies, such as the UK and the US, must stop prioritising the normalisation of relations with China and instead exert pressure on the Chinese regime and Hong Kong authorities to ensure that Jimmy Lai and all other journalists are released from prison,” Thibaut Bruttin, the nonprofit organization’s head, said.
Referring to Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and political prisoner who died in custody in 2017 after being detained in 2009 on charges of “inciting subversion of state power,” Bruttin said the outcome reflected a lack of sufficient international pressure.
“We cannot allow Jimmy Lai to suffer a similar fate. His sentence must not become a death sentence.”
Jimmy Lai’s lawyer declines to comment on possible appeal
02:34 , Shweta SharmaJimmy Lai’s defence lawyer declined to say whether an appeal would be filed, responding “no comment” when asked by reporters outside the court following the sentencing.
Judges say Lai's offences were of 'grave nature'
02:33 , Shweta SharmaThe Hong Kong court on Monday said Jimmy Lai’s offences were of a “grave nature” and the conspiracies were of the “most serious” category.
The judge said the sentencing was enhanced bythe fact that he was the “mastermind” and driving force behind foreign collusion conspiracies.
The court said the foreign collusion conspiracies were “well planned” and “premeditated”.
Six other defendants handed lower sentences
02:28 , Shweta SharmaSix former Apple Daily executives were also sentenced by the court.
Publisher Cheung Kim-hung was given six years and nine months in prison, while associate publisher Chan Pui-man received a seven-year term.
Editorial writer Yeung Ching-kee was sentenced to seven years and three months.
Editor-in-chief Lai Wai-kwong, executive editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung and editorial writer Fung Wai-kong were each handed 10-year jail terms.
Lai's wife leaves court
02:21 , Shweta SharmaJimmy Lai’s wife was seen leaving the court shortly afterwards, wearing dark sunglasses and appearing to struggle to hold back tears as she made her way out of the building.
Jimmy Lai receives longest national security sentence in Hong Kong history
02:18 , Shweta SharmaThe sentence marks the harshest punishment imposed under Hong Kong’s national security law to date. Until now, the longest term handed down was 10 years’ imprisonment, imposed on legal scholar and opposition strategist Benny Tai in 2024.
In mainland China, the prominent dissident Liu Xiaobo was sentenced to 11 years in 2009 for inciting subversion.
Comment: My message to Keir Starmer: Free my father Jimmy Lai before it is too late
02:15 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
My message to Keir Starmer: Free my father Jimmy Lai before it is too late
Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in prison
02:12 , Shweta SharmaHong Kong’s High Court on Monday sentenced jailed media tycoon and pro-democracy figure Jimmy Lai to a total of 20 years in prison.
The proceedings are ongoing.
But the sentencing brings a close to one of the most closely watched national security cases since the law was imposed in 2020.
Jimmy Lai smiles as sentencing proceedings begin
02:10 , Shweta SharmaCourt proceedings have begun, with Jimmy Lai and his co-defendants entering the dock.
Lai, wearing thick-rimmed glasses and a white jacket, smiled and clasped his hands as he greeted those seated in the public gallery.
Presiding judge Esther Toh said the court’s sentencing reasons run to 47 pages.
She added that the document would not be read out in full in court, but would be made available to lawyers and the press and uploaded online within half an hour of the conclusion of the proceedings.
Jimmy Lai now enters the court
02:04 , Shweta SharmaHong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy figure Jimmy Lai entered the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Monday for sentencing in his national security case, as a heavy police presence remained in place around the court complex.
Lai has spent more than 1,800 days in solitary confinement since he was arrested in August 2020.
Editorial: Powers that believe in democracy should rally to the cause of Jimmy Lai
02:00 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
Powers that believe in democracy should rally to the cause of Jimmy Lai
Cardinal Zen and Jimmy Lai’s wife arrive for sentencing
01:57 , Shweta SharmaCardinal Zen and Jimmy Lai’s wife arrive for sentencingThe former Catholic bishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, and Teresa Lai, the wife of jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai, have arrived at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts this morning for Lai’s sentencing.
Teresa Lai, who has attended almost every hearing since the case began in 2023, was dressed in red as she entered the court building.
Kevin Steel, defence lawyer for Lai, was also seen arriving, as were consular representatives from a number of different countries, including the UK and Austria.
Heavy police presence outside court as Jimmy Lai sentencing begins
01:45 , Shweta SharmaA heavy police presence is in place outside Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Law Courts Building, where media tycoon and pro-democracy figure Jimmy Lai is due to be sentenced today.
Dozens of Lai’s supporters queued for several days to secure a seat in the courtroom, as scores of police officers, sniffer dogs and police vehicles – including an armoured truck and a bomb disposal van – were deployed around the area.
“I feel that Mr Lai is the conscience of Hong Kong,” said Sum, 64, who began queueing last Thursday.
Court-goers at the scene told HKFP that police officers detained a woman and escorted her onto a police vehicle after discovering an Apple Daily keychain in her possession.
Police officers have also been recording the identity card details of those queueing for public seats at Monday’s hearing, according to people waiting outside the court. Members of the public were initially allowed to briefly leave the queue to use the toilet or attend to personal needs.
But they were not permitted to return to their original places in the line, raising concerns among court-goers about access to the hearing.
Exclusive: ‘It’s a travesty’: Calls to free frail Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai from jail before it’s too late
01:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneOn the eve of his father’s sentencing, Mr Lai’s son Sebastien Lai spoke toThe Independent exclusively.
“We are under no illusions: this is not justice, it is political persecution,” he told Whitehall editor Kate Devlin.
“My father has been persecuted by the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities for speaking truth to power.
“In December, he was convicted of crimes that amount to nothing more than public interest journalism and peaceful pro-democracy campaigning. On Monday, he is likely to be sentenced to prison for the rest of his life.”
You can read more below:
Calls to free frail Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai from jail before it’s too late
Who is Jimmy Lai?
00:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneJimmy Lai is a Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon who was recently convicted of foreign collusion under the country’s sweeping national security law.
Born in China, he entered Hong Kong as a stowaway on a boat aged 12.
He went on to found Giordano, an Asian clothing retailer, Next Digital, a Hong Kong-listed media company, and the popular newspaper Apple Daily.
He became an outspoken critic of the People's Republic of China government following the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, with his publications banned in China.
On 10 August 2020, Lai was arrested at his home for alleged collusion with foreign forces (a crime under the new national security law) and fraud. He was convicted in December and is set to be sentenced on Monday.
Lai's trial seen as indicator of diminishing press freedom in Hong Kong
Sunday 8 February 2026 23:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarJimmy Lai’s trial has been widely interpreted as a stark indicator of the diminishing press freedom in the former British colony, which reverted to Chinese rule in 1997.
However, the city’s government maintains that the case bears no relation to media freedom.
The impending sentencing is expected to heighten tensions between Beijing and international governments. Lai’s conviction already prompted criticism from the United States and Britain.
In January, Hong Kong's Chief Justice Andrew Cheung addressed the issue, stating that calls for prematurely releasing a defendant based on political causes or identity circumvent legal procedures to ensure accountability and "strike at the very heart of the rule of law itself."
Lai was found guilty of conspiring with others to collude with foreign forces and conspiracy to publish seditious articles.
Eight co-defendants to be sentenced alongside Lai
Sunday 8 February 2026 22:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarEight co-defendants will be sentenced alongside Lai on Monday after pleading guilty to a charge of conspiring to collude with foreign forces.
They include six former Apple Daily executives — publisher Cheung Kim-hung, associate publisher Chan Pui-man, editor-in-chief Ryan Law, executive editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung, and editorial writers Fung Wai-kong and Yeung Ching-kee.
Cheung, Chan and Yeung had earlier testified against their former boss in return for reduced sentences.
The remaining two are former activists Andy Li and Chan Tsz-wah, linked to the international lobby group Stand with Hong Kong, who also testified for the prosecution in exchange for lighter sentences.
Jimmy Lai to be sentenced at 10am on Monday
Sunday 8 February 2026 21:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarHong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai will be sentenced on Monday at 10am local timein a closely watched national security trial that has drawn international criticism, including from the US and Britain.
The 78-year-old Briton was found guilty in December of two charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under a China-imposed national security law, as well as a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious material.
Jai, a pro-democracy campaigner and founder of the now-shuttered pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, has denied all wrongdoing but faces life in prison.
Xi Jinping gives ‘strong support’ for Jimmy Lai conviction
Sunday 8 February 2026 20:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarChinese president Xi Jinping has expressed strong support for the jailing of British media tycoon Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong, amid mounting international condemnation.
Xi’s first reaction to Monday’s verdict comes just weeks before Sir Keir Starmer is due to travel to Beijing for an important trade visit.
Lai’s trial was closely watched abroad and his conviction has been met with intense criticism by Western governments and rights groups who called it “politically motivated” and “a disgraceful act of persecution”.
‘Free Jimmy Lai’ message projected onto London landmarks as Keir Starmer visits China
Sunday 8 February 2026 19:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarA message calling for the release of Jimmy Lai has been projected onto the side of the Houses of Parliament and Tower Bridge.
78-year-old Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigner and British national, has been in detention for more than five years having been arrested in 2020 under Hong Kong’s new national security law.
‘Free Jimmy Lai’ message projected onto London landmarks as Starmer visits China
Starmer under fire for not securing release of Jimmy Lai during China trip
Sunday 8 February 2026 18:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarSir Keir Starmer has been accused of failing to secure an assurance that British citizen Jimmy Lai would be released, despite going to China “with the title deeds to a mega-embassy in the back pocket”.
Lord Alton of Liverpool, who had previously been sanctioned by the communist regime, criticised the Prime Minister in Parliament on Monday.
Foreign minister Baroness Chapman of Darlington argued Mr Lai should be freed immediately but said the government would not “get everything we want with one visit”.
Sir Keir headed to China after the government gave the go-ahead to Beijing’s proposed new super-embassy in London, despite security concerns.
During his trip, the Prime Minister raised Mr Lai’s case with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
More here.
Starmer under fire for not securing release of Jimmy Lai during China trip
