No mercy for Hong Kong media tycoon
James Pomfret And Jessie Pang
Hong Kong’s most prominent media mogul, Jimmy Lai, was sentenced to a total of 20 years in prison on national security charges on Monday; these charges included two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign powers and one count of publishing seditious material.
The ruling brought an end to a legal saga that spanned almost five years and Hong Kong’s most high-profile national security hearing. Lai, the founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper, was first arrested in August 2020 and convicted last year.
Lai’s 20-year sentence was within the most severe sentencing “range” of 10 years to life imprisonment for crimes of a “serious nature”.
The Hong Kong court said Lai’s sentence was increased because he was the “mastermind” and driving force behind foreign secret conspiracies.
The 78-year-old British citizen denied all charges against him, telling the court he was a “political prisoner” facing persecution from Beijing.
Lai’s case has been criticized by global leaders including US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, highlighting years of national security crackdowns in the Chinese-run Asian financial hub following mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.
“The rule of law has been completely shattered in Hong Kong. Today’s terrible decision is the final nail in the coffin of press freedom in Hong Kong,” said Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalism.
“If we want press freedom to be respected everywhere in the world, the international community must increase pressure for Jimmy Lai’s release.”
Taiwan’s government condemned the “harsh” sentence given to Lai on Monday and called for his release.
“Jimmy Lai’s harsh sentence under Hong Kong’s National Security Law not only deprives him of his personal freedom and tramples on freedom of speech and the press, but also denies the people their fundamental right to hold those in power accountable,” the Mainland Affairs Council, which regulates Taiwan’s China policy, said in a statement.
Lai arrived at court wearing a white jacket, his hands clasped in prayer, smiling and waving to supporters. The case has sparked calls for the release of the longtime critic of the Chinese Communist Party, who friends and supporters say is in poor health.
“The 20-year sentence imposed on 78-year-old Jimmy Lai is essentially a death sentence,” said Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “A punishment of this magnitude is both cruel and deeply unfair.”
Dozens of Lai’s supporters lined up for several days to reserve seats in the courtroom, along with scores of police officers, search dogs and police vehicles, including an armored truck and a bomb disposal vehicle.
“I feel like Mr. Lai is the conscience of Hong Kong,” said a 64-year-old man named Sum who was waiting in line.
“He speaks for the people of Hong Kong, even for many unjust cases and the development of democracy in mainland China. So I think it’s better to spend a few days of my own freedom sleeping here than to see him locked inside.”
According to people with knowledge of the discussions, Starmer brought up the situation of Lai, who has British citizenship, in detail during his tete-a-tete meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing last month. Britain’s national security advisor Jonathan Powell and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi were also present at the meeting.
In his speech to the British parliament after his trip, Starmer said, “I raised Jimmy Lai’s case and called for his release.” Trump also brought up Lai’s case with Xi in his meeting last October.
Some Western diplomats told Reuters Negotiations to release Lai would likely begin after he is seriously convicted, he said, and depend on whether Lai objects.
Lai’s family, lawyer, supporters and former colleagues warned that Lai could die in prison due to health problems such as heart palpitations and high blood pressure.
In addition to Lai, six former senior Apple Daily employees, an activist and a paralegal will also be sentenced to prison.
“Jimmy Lai’s trial was nothing but a farce from the beginning and shows complete disdain for Hong Kong’s laws, which are supposed to protect press freedom,” said Beh Lih Yi, Asia-Pacific Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists.
But Beijing says Lai received a fair trial and that everyone was treated equally under the national security law that restored order in the city.
Additional reporting by Andrew MacAskill in London and Ben Blanchard in Taipei; By Greg Torode
Reuters
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