Sentencing Jimmy Lai, an instigator of anti-China riots in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to 20 years in prison by the High Court of the HKSAR on Monday demonstrated that "no one is above the law," said Gordon Lam, a Hong Kong SAR deputy to the 14th National People's Congress.
Lai was found guilty in December 2025 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 Jan. 12 and concluded on Jan. 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.
"As someone who respects the rule of law in Hong Kong, I see this verdict as a clear affirmation that no one is above the law. The trial followed established legal procedures under the Hong Kong national security law and local statutes. The core issue was never about a person's profession or general opinions, but about assessing specific acts, such as conspiracy with external forces against clear legal standards designed to protect national security. Safeguarding national security is the fundamental cornerstone for Hong Kong's stability and continued prosperity," said Lam.
Verdict on Jimmy Lai's case affirms Hong Kong's rule of law: official
