Hong Kong Tycoon Jimmy Lai Jailed For 20 Years In National Security Trial

Last Updated:February 09, 2026, 10:39 IST

Jimmy Lai, Hong Kong media tycoon and Beijing critic, was sentenced to 20 years under the national security law, symbolising a crackdown on press freedoms after the 2019 protests.

Hong Kong media tycoon and outspoken Beijing critic Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in jail, the harshest punishment yet imposed under the city’s sweeping national security law.

The ruling marks a dramatic moment in the downfall of the 78-year-old self-made businessman, once among the wealthiest figures in the Asian financial hub.

Observers cited by the Associated Press said the case has come to symbolise a crackdown on press freedoms and political dissent that began after Beijing imposed the law following the huge pro-democracy protests of 2019.

Authorities in Hong Kong and in Beijing have defended the legislation, saying it restored stability after months of unrest and insisting Lai received a fair trial.

Judges ruled that his sentence was increased because they viewed him as the “mastermind" behind alleged conspiracies to collude with foreign forces.

Lai, who has been held in custody for more than five years, much of it in solitary confinement, had earlier told Reuters that he would “fight on till the last day."

His family later said his health had declined significantly behind bars.

His daughter Claire told Reuters that while he remained mentally resilient, he was physically weaker and suffering from ailments including diabetes, heart palpitations and rising blood pressure.

WHO IS JIMMY LAI

Once known for his stocky build and combative style, Lai made his fortune in the garment business after fleeing mainland China as a penniless teenager.

Born in Guangzhou, he stowed away on a fishing boat to Hong Kong in 1961 before working in factories and eventually founding the clothing chain Giordano.

Following the 1989 military crackdown around Tiananmen Square by the People’s Liberation Army, Lai became increasingly outspoken and turned toward publishing.

He launched Next Magazine in 1990 and later founded the tabloid Apple Daily, which mixed sensational reporting with aggressive investigations and criticism of Chinese and Hong Kong leaders.

Lai’s columns attacked senior officials such as former premier Li Peng and current leader Xi Jinping, language that later resurfaced during his trial.

Lai also participated in the 2014 Umbrella Movement and the 2019 protest wave, and met US officials, including Mike Pence and Mike Pompeo, contacts prosecutors highlighted as evidence in court.

During proceedings, Lai repeatedly referred to himself as a “political prisoner," prompting one judge to rebuke him for framing the case in political terms.

Lai responded that he had the right to disagree, while describing any personal sacrifice as an honour.

Once ranked by Forbes among Hong Kong’s richest people, Lai later saw his assets frozen and his media empire shuttered.

A devout Catholic, he received visits from cleric Joseph Zen while in detention.

In October, his wife Teresa and one daughter were photographed meeting Pope Leo in Vatican City as worries grew about his condition.

News world Hong Kong Tycoon Jimmy Lai Jailed For 20 Years In Security Trial

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