HONG KONG (AP) — Monday’s sentencing of Hong Kong democracy advocate and former media mogul Jimmy Lai has sparked protests from governments and rights groups. Chinese and Hong Kong authorities have defended it, saying it reflects the spirit of the rule of law.
Lai, 78, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being found guilty in December of conspiring to collude with foreign forces and conspiring with others to publish seditious articles. His co-defendants, who pleaded guilty to the collusion charge, received prison sentences ranging from six years and three months to 10 years.
Some foreign governments have called for the release of Lai, a British citizen. China’s Foreign Ministry has maintained that Lai is a Chinese citizen and urged countries to respect their sovereignty.
Here are the reactions:
united nations
UN human rights chief Volker Türk said Lai was punished for “exercising rights protected by international law” and that the sentence should be overturned. His office expressed concern that the scale of the allegations risks criminalizing the legitimate activities of civil society organizations and journalists.
“This is part of a wider repressive trend in Hong Kong, where hundreds of people have been arrested and prosecuted under these laws,” Türk said.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s Security Secretary Chris Tang accused “external forces” of ignoring the facts while criticizing the case as “so-called ‘political prosecution'”.
Hong Kong leader John Lee said Lai used Apple Daily to “poison” residents and incite hatred. He said Lai deserved the sentence for openly calling for foreign sanctions against China as well as Hong Kong and harming their interests.
“His heavy 20-year prison sentence demonstrated the rule of law, upheld justice and brought great satisfaction to the people,” he said.
United States of America
The US State Department called the sentence “an unjust and tragic conclusion to this case” and urged Chinese authorities to grant Lai humanitarian parole, adding that the case “demonstrates to the world that Beijing will go to extraordinary lengths to silence those who support fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong”.
Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, who in 2023 nominated Lai for the Nobel Peace Prize, said the conviction “should dispel any illusion that the Chinese government will relent until it exercises total control over the people of Hong Kong.”
Merkley co-sponsored a bill that seeks to strip Hong Kong’s economic and trade offices in the US of their diplomatic privileges, citing Beijing’s dismantling of the territory’s autonomy.
Great Britain
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Lai was convicted for exercising his right to free speech after a “politically motivated prosecution”. She called on Hong Kong authorities to release him on humanitarian grounds.
“For the 78-year-old, this is tantamount to a life sentence,” she said, adding that her government would “quickly engage further” in the case.
The British government said it was expanding an immigration route to more residents of Hong Kong, a former British colony, “amid the continued deterioration of rights and freedoms in the territory”. It is estimated that around 26,000 Hong Kongers could move to the UK in the next five years.
China
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters at a daily briefing that Lai is a Chinese national, calling him a major planner and participant in a series of anti-China destabilizing activities in Hong Kong.
Lin said the court cases were only Hong Kong’s internal affairs, urging “relevant countries” to avoid meddling in those or China’s internal affairs.
The Beijing Office for Hong Kong Affairs said Lai’s sentence reflected Hong Kong’s determination to protect national security.
european union
The EU reiterated its call for Lai’s immediate and unconditional release, citing his advanced age and health.
“The politically motivated action of Jimmy Lai and former Apple Daily executives and journalists harms Hong Kong’s reputation,” the statement said. “The EU calls on the Hong Kong authorities to restore confidence in press freedom in Hong Kong, one of the pillars of its historic success as an international financial centre, and to stop prosecuting journalists.”
Australia
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the crackdowns had a chilling effect on freedom of expression in Hong Kong. She called on China to end its crackdown on freedom of expression, media and civil society and to repeal the security law under which Lai was convicted.
Taiwan
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council condemned the Chinese and Hong Kong governments for suppressing human rights in the name of national security and called for Lai’s release. He reminded Taiwanese people to take the painful experience in Hong Kong as a warning to protect their hard-won free way of life.
Rights groups
Reporters Without Borders director general Thibaut Bruttin said the court’s decision underscores the collapse of press freedom in Hong Kong and the authorities’ contempt for independent journalism.
“We have already witnessed the death of press freedom defender Liu Xiaobo in prison due to insufficient international pressure. We cannot allow Jimmy Lai to suffer a similar fate,” he said.