A file image of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai.
| Photo Credit: AFP
Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced on Monday (February 9, 2026) to a total of 20 years in jail on three charges comprising two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of publishing seditious materials.
Also Read | Jimmy Lai: A Hong Kong rags-to-riches media tycoon who became fierce critic of Beijing
The trial has been the financial hub’s most high-profile national security case.
The sentence comes after a legal saga spanning almost five years. Lai, the founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper, was convicted on December 15 on all three counts. He was first arrested in August 2020.
Published – February 09, 2026 08:07 am IST
