Hong Kong: Veteran pro-democracy campaigner and prominent Catholic layman Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Hong Kong court, marking one of the harshest penalties yet imposed under China’s sweeping national security law. Supporters and human rights groups say the verdict caps years of politically motivated prosecutions aimed at silencing one of Beijing’s most outspoken critics in the former British colony.
The sentence follows Lai’s conviction in December on national security charges, bringing to a close a prolonged legal process that began with his first arrest in 2020. Over the past five years, Lai has faced multiple cases, including convictions for fraud and unlawful assembly, resulting in consecutive prison terms. Among them was a 69-month sentence imposed in December 2022 in a separate fraud case. He has largely been held without bail throughout this period.
Lai, the founder and longtime publisher of the now-defunct Apple Daily, was for decades a central figure in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement. His newspaper was known for its fierce criticism of the Chinese Communist Party and its defense of civil liberties in the territory. Authorities shut down the publication in 2021 after freezing its assets, a move widely seen as emblematic of the broader crackdown on dissent.
The latest ruling has drawn international condemnation and renewed calls for Lai’s release. Political leaders, lawmakers, activists and civil rights organizations across several countries have repeatedly raised concerns about his treatment. Among those who have spoken publicly on his behalf is former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has urged Chinese authorities to free Lai and reportedly raised the issue directly with President Xi Jinping in late 2025. In the same year, Lai was named an honorary recipient of the Bradley Prize, recognizing his commitment to democratic ideals and freedom of expression.
Beyond his political activism, Lai’s Catholic faith has been a defining feature of his personal life and, according to his family, a source of strength during his imprisonment. A convert since 1997, he raised his two children in a deeply religious household. Family members have said that confinement has only strengthened his spiritual life, with Lai continuing to read the Gospels daily when permitted and spending time in prayer and religious reflection.
His faith has also been acknowledged internationally. In 2024, a drawing of the Crucifixion created by Lai while in detention was installed at the Catholic University of America in Washington, symbolising his spiritual endurance. Friends and supporters have said he views his suffering as a participation in Christ’s passion, rather than as a cause for despair.
Church leaders have also voiced concern. In November 2023, a group of Catholic bishops and archbishops publicly appealed to the Hong Kong authorities to release Lai, warning that his prolonged detention represented a grave injustice. They argued that there was no place for such treatment in a society that claims to uphold the rule of law and protect freedom of expression.
Lai’s case has become a powerful symbol of Hong Kong’s transformation. Once known for its robust civil liberties and independent judiciary, the city has seen those freedoms sharply curtailed since the introduction of the national security law, which grants authorities broad powers to prosecute acts deemed subversive or threatening to state security. Religious leaders and activists within Hong Kong have warned that open criticism of the government now carries serious personal and legal risks.
International watchdogs have echoed these concerns. At a 2025 hearing of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, advocates described severe violations of religious liberty in China, accusing authorities of systematically eliminating religious practices and expressions that do not align with state ideology.
Family members say the prolonged imprisonment has taken a heavy physical toll on the 77-year-old activist. His health has reportedly deteriorated, and he has been denied regular access to the Eucharist. Despite this, they say his daily routine remains rooted in prayer, Scripture reading and religious art, which they believe continues to sustain him mentally and spiritually.
As Jimmy Lai begins what could amount to the rest of his life behind bars, his case stands as a stark illustration of the shrinking space for dissent, religious freedom and independent journalism in Hong Kong under Beijing’s tightening control.