Washington, D.C. – The United States on Monday sharply denounced the Hong Kong High Court’s imposition of a 20-year prison sentence on prominent media tycoon and pro-democracy figure Jimmy Lai, calling the verdict “unjust and tragic” and pressing authorities to grant him immediate humanitarian parole on grounds of age, health, and prolonged detention.
In a forceful statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Beijing of resorting to “extraordinary lengths to silence those who advocate fundamental freedoms” in Hong Kong. He argued that the severe punishment directly contravenes China’s international commitments under the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, which promised to preserve Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, civil liberties, and way of life until 2047.
“The Hong Kong High Court’s decision to sentence Jimmy Lai to 20 years is an unjust and tragic conclusion to this case,” Rubio declared. “After enduring a trial lasting two years, and detention in prison for more than five, Mr. Lai and his family have suffered enough. The United States urges the authorities to grant Mr. Lai humanitarian parole.”
Lai, the 78-year-old founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper—once Hong Kong’s most influential pro-democracy publication—was convicted in December 2025 on three counts under the National Security Law (NSL) enacted by Beijing in June 2020. The charges included two counts of “conspiring to collude with foreign forces” (stemming from his advocacy for international sanctions against Chinese and Hong Kong officials) and one count of “conspiracy to publish seditious materials.”
The trial, which formally opened on December 18, 2023, was conducted without a jury by a specially designated panel of three judges under the NSL framework. Lai has been held in custody since December 2020—more than five years—pending trial and sentencing.
At 20 years, the sentence is the longest imposed under the National Security Law to date. Given Lai’s advanced age and reported health concerns, the term effectively means he will likely spend the rest of his life in prison unless overturned on appeal or released on humanitarian grounds.
The US condemnation follows a chorus of international criticism from the United Kingdom, European Union, Canada, Australia, Japan, and leading human rights organisations. Many observers have characterised the case as politically driven, intended to dismantle independent media and suppress organised dissent in Hong Kong.
Since the NSL’s introduction, more than 300 individuals have been arrested under its provisions. Apple Daily, which Lai founded in 1995, was forced to cease publication in June 2021 following aggressive police raids, asset freezes, and the arrest of its senior executives and journalists. The newspaper’s final print edition sold out within hours, with Hongkongers queuing to purchase copies as a symbolic act of defiance.
Rubio’s call for humanitarian parole underscores mounting concern over Lai’s physical wellbeing and the humanitarian implications of his continued incarceration. The United States has consistently treated Hong Kong’s declining freedoms as a major human rights priority, maintaining targeted sanctions on officials responsible for the crackdown and pressing Beijing to uphold its treaty obligations.
Hong Kong and Chinese authorities have defended the sentence, asserting that the judicial process was fair, evidence-based, and necessary to protect national security and social stability. State media in Beijing framed the outcome as a legitimate measure to counter threats to sovereignty.
The sentencing has amplified international scrutiny of Hong Kong’s judicial independence, the erosion of press freedom, and the broader rollback of civil liberties in a city once celebrated for its open society and rule of law. Advocacy groups worldwide continue to campaign for Lai’s release, viewing his imprisonment as emblematic of Beijing’s systematic effort to eliminate political opposition and critical voices.
As of Monday evening, neither Hong Kong nor Chinese officials had issued a direct response to the US statement or the parole request. Lai’s legal team has confirmed plans to appeal both the conviction and the sentence, though the appeals process is widely expected to be protracted.
The Jimmy Lai case remains a central flashpoint in global debates about Hong Kong’s future, the integrity of its legal system, and the fate of press freedom under the National Security Law regime.
