Hong Kong’s national security law is back in the spotlight as Jimmy Lai faces 20 years for pro-democracy activism, sparking global outrage.
On February 9, 2026, Jimmy Lai, a 78-year-old pro-democracy activist and founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in Hong Kong for conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and publishing seditious materials. The sentence, the harshest under Hong Kong's national security law, has drawn widespread international condemnation and calls for his release on humanitarian grounds.
Hong Kong court sentenced Jimmy Lai, a prominent critic of China and former media tycoon, to 20 years in prison under the national security law. The government expressed strong opposition, urging respect for sovereignty and rule of law amid ongoing tensions over Lai's activism and media outlets.
On February 26-27, 2026, Hong Kong courts sentenced Kwok Yin-sang, father of pro-democracy activist Anna Kwok, to eight months for attempting to withdraw funds from her insurance policy, marking the first conviction under the 2024 national security law targeting family members. Separately, Jimmy Lai's 2022 fraud conviction was overturned, though he remains imprisoned under a 20-year national security sentence.