"Jimmy Lai, the pro-democracy former Hong Kong media tycoon and a fierce critic of Beijing, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in one of the most prominent cases prosecuted under a China-imposed national security law that has virtually silenced the city's dissent. Judge Esther Toh said 18 years of Lai's sentence should be served consecutively to his jail term in his fraud case, for which he received a sentence of five years and nine months."
"His co-defendants, six former employees of his Apple Daily newspaper and two activists, received prison terms of between 6 and 10 years on collusion-related charges. Three government-vetted judges spared Lai, 78, the maximum penalty of life imprisonment on charges of conspiring with others to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security, and conspiracy to publish seditious articles. He was convicted in December."
"Lai's sentencing could heighten Beijing's diplomatic tensions with foreign governments. It drew criticism from around the world. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement urged authorities to grant Lai humanitarian parole. The sentence, Rubio said, "shows the world that Beijing will go to extraordinary lengths to silence those who advocate fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong." Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand in a statement also called for Lai's release on humanitarian grounds and said Canada was disappointed with the outcome."
Jimmy Lai received a 20-year prison sentence under the China-imposed national security law. Judge Esther Toh ordered that 18 years of that sentence be served consecutively to a five-year, nine-month fraud term. Lai remains eligible to appeal the conviction. Six former Apple Daily employees and two activists were sentenced to between six and ten years for collusion-related charges. Three government-vetted judges declined to impose the maximum life penalty on charges of conspiring with foreign forces and publishing seditious articles. At age 78, the prison term could effectively keep Lai imprisoned for the remainder of his life. The sentencing prompted international criticism and calls for humanitarian release from U.S. and Canadian officials.
Read at www.cbc.ca
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]