Hong Kong: Jimmy Lai sentenced to at least one year for pro-democracy protests
A group of high-profile Hong Kong pro-democracy activists, including the media mogul Jimmy Lai, are going to be sentenced on Friday for organising or attending “unauthorised assemblies” during mass protests that rocked the town in 2019.
At least some are expected to receive jail terms of up to 5 years, another blow to Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, as authorities work to crush all sorts of dissent.
Separately, on Friday prosecutors reportedly laid an extra national security charge against Lai, accusing him of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces, and another criminal charge of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Both reportedly relate to the case of activist Andy Li, who was caught by Chinese authorities attempting to escape Hong Kong for Taiwan by boat.
Along with Lai, the group being sentenced includes veteran activists Lee Cheuk-yan and “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung, the 82-year-old barrister Martin Lee, widely referred to as the daddy of Hong Kong democracy, and therefore the 73-year-old barrister and former legislator Margaret Ng.
The sentences relate to convictions in two cases – one concerning a protest on 18 August 2019 and another fortnight afterward 31 August.
Lai and Lee Cheuk-yan were defendants in both cases. Lai, who is facing other charges including under the national security law imposed by Beijing last year, has been detained on remand since late last year, but Friday will mark the primary time he had been sentenced.
"I came here with one dollar. I got everything I even have due to this place," he said. "If this is often the payback time, this is often my redemption."
Mr Lai faced eight charges in total, two of which were imposed under the country's new National Security Law, which may carry a maximum term of life in prison.
The law, implemented in Hong Kong by China last year, criminalises secession and subversion. Earlier this month, Beijing overhauled the territory's electoral rules to make sure more loyalty to the mainland.
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