Hong Kong: Media tycoon Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years

A court in Hong Kong on Monday sentenced 78-year-old democracy advocate and media tycoon Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison.

The sentencing — described as "effectively a death sentence" by rights advocates — follows Lai's conviction on charges of foreign collusion and seditious publication in December 2025.

"After considering the serious and grave criminal conduct of Lai ... the Court was satisfied that the total sentence for Lai in the present case should be 20 years' imprisonment," a summary document from the judges said.

Two of those years will overlap with Lai's existing prison term, meaning that he will serve an additional 18 years, the judges wrote. He has been in prison since 2020.

Read more: https://www.dw.com/en/hong-kong-media-tycoon-jimmy-lai-sentenced-to-20-years/a-75867715