United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has expressed deep concern over the 20-year prison sentence handed down to Jimmy Lai, the 78-year-old founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily. Lai was convicted on charges related to security laws in Hong Kong.
On December 15, 2025, the High Court found Lai guilty of conspiracy to publish seditious material under the Crimes Ordinance and two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under the National Security Law (NSL). Mr. Lai has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The court’s decisions are open to appeal.
Criminalizing Fundamental Freedoms
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stated that its review of the verdict revealed concerns that the ruling criminalizes the exercise of fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, media freedom, and association. The OHCHR noted that the verdict relied heavily on actions that predated the NSL’s enforcement, echoing previous concerns about the broad interpretation of “collusion with external forces” under the law.
“Jimmy Lai is a publisher sentenced to 20 years in prison for exercising rights protected under international law,” Mr. Türk stated. He added, “This outcome highlights how the vague and overly broad provisions of Hong Kong’s national security legislation can lead to being interpreted and enforced in violation of Hong Kong’s international human rights obligations. This verdict needs to be promptly quashed as incompatible with international law.”
Call for Humanitarian Release
High Commissioner Türk also called for Mr. Lai’s immediate release on humanitarian grounds, citing his age, health condition, and the impact of over four years already spent in detention. The OHCHR further expressed concern that the judgment considered engagement with the United Nations and its human rights mechanisms as relevant to the conviction.
Deteriorating Press Freedom in Hong Kong
Since the implementation of the NSL in 2020 and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance in 2024, press freedom in Hong Kong has significantly declined. Numerous independent media outlets have been shut down, many journalists arrested, and foreign reporters have faced stricter visa and accreditation rules.
“This is part of a broader repressive trend in Hong Kong, where hundreds have been arrested and prosecuted under these laws,” Mr. Türk commented. In addition to Mr. Lai, six former Apple Daily staff members, an activist, and a paralegal received prison sentences ranging from six to 10 years on Monday. Media reports citing official sources indicate that from 2020 to 2026, at least 385 individuals have been arrested and 175 convicted under national security-related offenses.
