Governments urge Lai be freed after 20 year HK sentence

Hong Kong's most vocal China ‍critic, media tycoon Jimmy Lai, has been sentenced to 20 years in jail, ending the city's biggest national security case.

Lai's sentence on two counts ​of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one for publishing seditious materials ends a legal saga that has lasted nearly five years.

The 78-year-old UK citizen had denied all the charges against him, telling the court he was a "political prisoner" facing persecution ⁠from China.

Lai, founder of the feisty and now shuttered Apple Daily newspaper, was first arrested in August 2020 and was convicted last year.

His sentence was within the harshest penalty tier for offences of a "grave nature," reflecting the fact that he was the driving force behind "persistent" foreign collusion conspiracies, the three judges said in announcing their verdict.

They cited prosecution evidence that the conspiracies had sought sanctions, blockades and other hostile acts from the United States and other countries while involving a web of individuals including Apple Daily staff, activists and foreigners.

Six former senior Apple Daily staffers, an activist and a paralegal were also sentenced to jail terms ranging from six to 10 years.

"In the present case, Lai was no doubt the mastermind of ‌all three conspiracies charged and ​therefore he warrants a heavier sentence," the judges said.

The United States, United Kingdom, Australia, the European Union, Japan and Taiwan expressed concerns about the effects of the sentencing.

US Secretary ‍of State Marco Rubio called the sentence "unjust and tragic," saying it showed the lengths to which China would go to silence advocates of basic freedoms in Hong Kong.

"... Mr Lai and his family have suffered enough. The United States urges the authorities to grant Mr Lai humanitarian parole," Rubio said in a statement, echoing similar calls from the UK and United Nations rights chief Volker Turk.

The UK will "rapidly engage further on Mr Lai's case," foreign minister Yvette Cooper said.

The United Kingdom also announced an expansion of the visa route for Hong Kong residents wanting to move to the UK.

A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in London urged the UK to "respect China's judicial sovereignty and stop interfering in Hong Kong's rule of law and China's internal affairs".

The spokesperson also ​said the UK should "stop shielding criminals".

The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, under China's State Council, said the sentence was "a solemn and powerful declaration ‌that whoever dares to challenge the law on safeguarding national security will be severely punished".

China in 2020 imposed the national security law in Hong Kong, saying it was necessary to stabilise the city after months of sometimes violent ​unrest.

Lai's friends and supporters say he is in frail health ​with diabetes and high blood pressure, and should be freed.

Lai's son Sebastien said the sentence was "devastating for our family" and ​marked the "total destruction" of Hong Kong's legal system.

"Much more needs to be done and quickly because, if not, he's going to pass away in prison," Sebastien Lai, also a UK citizen, later told Reuters in London.

He also urged the UK to pause its push to reset relations with China.

Hong Kong police played down concerns about Lai's health.

The head of the force's national security department, Steve Li, said Lai's health concerns had been "exaggerated".

Chinese and Hong Kong officials say Lai has received a fair trial and that all are treated equally under a national security law they say has been vital to restoring order to the city.

Lai's lawyer Robert Pang declined to comment when asked whether Lai would appeal, saying he has 28 days to do so.