Democracy advocate Jimmy Lai will be sentenced in Hong Kong
AP News••world
Key Points:
- Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong democracy advocate and former media magnate, faces sentencing under the national security law for conspiring with foreign forces and publishing seditious articles, with a potential life sentence.
- Lai’s health, age (78), and solitary confinement were highlighted by his lawyer as factors that would make imprisonment particularly burdensome and potentially life-ending.
- The court affirmed Lai as the mastermind behind conspiracies to destabilize China’s Communist Party, rejecting his defense based on freedom of expression and compliance with the law.
- Several co-defendants pleaded guilty and cooperated with prosecutors, potentially qualifying them for lighter sentences, while international figures like former U.S. President Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer have called for Lai
