⚖️📰 Hong Kong court sentences Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison for national security offenses

Oneliner

Jimmy Lai, a prominent pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for national security offenses, including collusion with foreign forces. The ruling has drawn widespread international condemnation, with the UK, EU, and UN calling for his immediate release. In response to the deteriorating human rights situation in Hong Kong, the UK has expanded its visa scheme for Hongkongers, allowing thousands more to relocate. Lai's family has expressed deep concerns for his health, stating that the sentence amounts to a death sentence given his age.

Key points

• Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years for collusion and sedition under national security law.
• International condemnation follows, with calls for Lai's immediate release from the UK, EU, and UN.
• UK expands visa eligibility for Hongkongers in response to deteriorating rights in Hong Kong.
• Lai's family expresses deep concern for his health and safety in prison.

Links

• Tagesschau (ARD): Demokratieaktivist Jimmy Lai zu 20 Jahren Haft verurteilt
• Der Tagesspiegel: 78-jähriger Demokratieaktivist: Gericht in Hongkong verurteilt Jimmy Lai zu 20 Jahren Haft
• El Mundo: Jimmy Lai, magnate prodemocracia de Hong Kong, condenado a 20 años de prisión por delitos contra la seguridad nacional
• BFMTV: Le magnat de la presse prodémocratie Jimmy Lai condamné à 20 ans de prison à Hong Kong
• POLITICO Europe: Keir death experience
• The Guardian: EU calls for 'immediate' release of Jimmy Lai after 'politically motivated prosecution' - Europe live
• ABC: Hong Kong castiga con 20 años de cárcel a Jimmy Lai, magnate de la prensa libre
• The Guardian: UK expands Hong Kong visa scheme in wake of Jimmy Lai's prison sentence
• Diário de Notícias: Magnata da imprensa pró-democracia de Hong Kong sentenciado com 20 anos de prisão
• Reuters: UK expands visa route for Hong Kongers after Jimmy Lai sentencing
• The Guardian: UK, UN and EU deplore 'monumental injustice' of Jimmy Lai's 20-year jail sentence
• Europa Press: Londres denuncia que el caso de Jimmy Lai está "motivado políticamente" y que la pena "equivale a cadena perpetua"

Facts

• Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years on February 9, 2026.
• Lai was found guilty of collusion with foreign forces and sedition in December 2025.
• The UK has expanded its visa scheme for Hongkongers, potentially allowing 26,000 more to relocate.
• Lai has been in custody since 2020 under the national security law.
• International bodies, including the UK, EU, and UN, have condemned Lai's sentencing.

Quotes

• The heavy 20-year prison sentence imposed on 78-year-old Jimmy Lai is, in practice, a death sentence — Human Rights Watch.
• This scandalous decision deals the coup de grâce to press freedom in Hong Kong — Jodie Ginsberg, Committee to Protect Journalists.
• For 78-year-old Jimmy Lai, 20 years is an effective life sentence — Yvette Cooper, UK Foreign Secretary.

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