Reporters Without Borders Condemns Jimmy Lai Sentence, Laments Hong Kong's Declining Press Freedom

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders condemned the 20-year prison sentence handed down to Hong Kong pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai on Monday, calling the verdict evidence of a complete collapse of press freedom in the territory.

Lai, the 78-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, was sentenced under Hong Kong's sweeping National Security Law after being convicted of colluding with foreign forces and publishing seditious materials. Six former Apple Daily executives were also given prison terms ranging from nearly seven to 10 years.

"This court decision underscores the complete collapse of press freedom in Hong Kong and the authorities' profound contempt for independent journalism," Thibaut Bruttin, director general of Reporters Without Borders, also known by its French acronym RSF, said in a statement.

Bruttin added that with the ruling, "the curtain falls on press freedom in Hong Kong."

The Paris-based organization urged democratic nations, specifically the United Kingdom and the United States, to stop prioritizing the normalization of diplomatic relations with Beijing. Instead, RSF called on international leaders to exert immediate pressure on Chinese and Hong Kong authorities to secure the release of Lai, a British citizen, and other jailed journalists.

Bruttin warned that swift diplomatic intervention is needed to ensure Lai's lengthy prison term "must not become a death sentence."

Lai has been detained since December 2020. His 20-year penalty is the harshest handed down since Beijing imposed the National Security Law on Hong Kong in June 2020, following months of massive anti-government protests.

Apple Daily, once a widely read tabloid known for its vocal criticism of the Chinese Communist Party and steadfast support for the pro-democracy movement, was forced to close in 2021 after police raided its newsroom, froze its corporate assets, and arrested its top editors.

Hong Kong, once considered a thriving bastion of media independence in Asia, has seen a severe decline in civil liberties in recent years. The territory now ranks 140th out of 180 countries and territories evaluated in RSF's latest World Press Freedom Index.