<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/china" rel="" target="_blank" title="China's"><span>China's</span></a><span> most vocal critics has been sentenced to 20 years </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/prison" rel="" target="" title="in jail"><span>in jail</span></a><span> under the national security </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/law" rel="" target="" title="law"><span>law</span></a><span> imposed on </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/hong-kong" rel="" target="_blank" title="Hong Kong"><span>Hong Kong</span></a><span> which has virtually silenced any dissent against Beijing in the city.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Media mogul and businessman Jimmy Lai, 78, has been behind bars since 2020 after being arrested under laws drafted into Hong Kong and China in the aftermath of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/hong-kong-protests" rel="" target="_blank" title="widespread protests"><span>widespread protests</span></a><span> on the island in 2019.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lai was the owner of Apple Daily, a pro-democracy newspaper that published several critical reports of China.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australia-subscription-traps-hidden-fees-laws/b699a973-4d99-419a-b65c-8b53bd4cce2f" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Aussies could finally be free from hidden fees, subscription traps</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lai was convicted in December of various offences, including conspiring with others to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security, and conspiracy to publish seditious articles.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was spared a life sentence in name by the three judges, but given his advanced age and health issues, he may well spend the rest of his life in prison regardless.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His co-defendants, six former employees at Apple Daily and two activists, were also handed prison terms ranging from 6 years and 3 months, to 10 years.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/jimmy-lai-hong-kong-china-jail-sentence/5c3b1c69-c724-4264-945e-ce21628100f8" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/fine-for-using-mobile-phone-while-driving-australia-device-in-lap-explainer/0a66e482-73d8-4cdb-baeb-77b1cb499a44" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Bad habit while driving could cop Aussies up to $1200 in fines</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lai's sentencing could heighten Beijing's diplomatic tensions with foreign governments. His conviction has drawn criticism from the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/usa" rel="" target="_blank" title="USA"><span>USA</span></a><span> and the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/uk" rel="" target="_blank" title="UK"><span>UK</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>President </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/donald-trump" rel="" target="_blank" title="Donald Trump"><span>Donald Trump</span></a><span> said he felt "so badly" after the verdict and noted he spoke to Chinese leader </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/xi-jinping" rel="" target="_blank" title="Xi Jinping"><span>Xi Jinping</span></a><span> about Lai and "asked to consider his release". </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The UK government has also called for the release of Lai, who is a British citizen.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Apple Daily was shut down in June 2021, with the final edition selling over a million copies, with the decline of the newspaper highlighting how press freedom has been dented in Hong Kong.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/brisbane-girl-lilly-wal-drowning-death-in-fiji-family-call-for-justice/7e52521e-e3df-474d-8f86-3df23656442c" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Family demands 'justice' after Brisbane girl, five, drowns in Fiji</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said the sentencing had destroyed the rule of law in Hong Kong.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Today's egregious decision is the final nail in the coffin for freedom of the press in Hong Kong," CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg said. In a statement released after Lai's sentencing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Several </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/australia" rel="" target="_blank" title="Australians"><span>Australians</span></a><span> have also been imprisoned under the National Security Law, including </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/45-activists-sentenced-in-hong-kong-national-security-case-the-longest-term-is-10-years/a7d49fa1-d9b7-4fa4-a4e0-ed6168c2c0ed" rel="" target="_blank" title="Gordon Ng"><span>Gordon Ng</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He was arrested in 2021 for his role in an unofficial primary election, and is serving a seven-year prison sentence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>Reported with Associated Press</span></em><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></strong></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><p><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727"><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1"><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></p></li><li><p><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w"><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></p></li><li><p><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine"><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></p></li></ul></div></div>