The Society of Editors has condemned the 20-year sentence given to Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong today, describing the “politically motivated” prosecution as “appalling and tantamount to a life sentence.”

The sentence, described by the sentencing judges as within the harshest penalty tier for offences of a “grave nature”, comes after Lai was found guilty of national security offences in December 2025. The media tycoon and British citizen, founder of now defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, was arrested in August 2020 and charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security and one count of conspiracy to distribute seditious publications.

Reacting to the sentencing, Dawn Alford, Chief Executive of the Society of Editors said: “Today’s sentencing of Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong is appalling and tantamount to a life sentence for the pro-democracy campaigner. Lai’s conviction is widely recognised as a politically motivated prosecution and casts a dark shadow over press freedom and democracy in Hong Kong. We urgently call on the UK government and Prime Minister to raise Lai’s case at the highest levels with Chinese officials and to stand up strongly in defence of media freedom worldwide.”