The High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Monday morning sentenced Jimmy Lai, an instigator of anti-China riots in Hong Kong, to 20 years in prison.
Lai was found guilty in December by the High Court of the HKSAR on two charges of conspiring to collude with external forces and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious materials. Mitigation hearing for Lai's case began on January 12 and concluded on January 13.
The defendants in the national security case include Lai, Apple Daily Limited, Apple Daily Printing Limited, and Apple Daily Internet Limited, all facing charges of conspiracy to publish seditious materials and conspiracy to collude with external forces. Lai was also facing a separate charge of conspiring to collude with external forces.
The trial officially commenced on December 18, 2023, and has been presided over by three judges appointed under the national security law in Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Police Force presented evidence to back the charges against Lai, and the judicial proceedings of the case involved the examination of over 2,200 exhibits.
The large amount of evidence at the trial proved Lai was a plotter and major participant in the anti-China riots that culminated in the summer of 2019 in Hong Kong.
He was also a major financial backer and conspirator behind the illegal "Occupy Central" movement in 2014. Five years later, Lai directly participated in plotting and organizing riots, inciting violence.
He has also colluded with other senior executives of Apply Daily to publish seditious articles, and launched the "One Hongkonger, One Letter to Save Hong Kong" campaign.
In addition, Lai gave interviews with foreign politicians and held activities where he openly demanded that the United States, Britain and EU countries sanction China, including the HKSAR.
Anti-China riots instigator Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in prison
Anti-China riots instigator Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in prison
