International criticism over press freedom in Hong Kong reignites

The case of the Apple Daily businessman and publisher has become one of the symbols of the global debate on human rights, press freedom and the reach of the national security law imposed by Beijing.

Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai decided not to appeal the 20-year sentence handed down against him on charges of collusion with foreign forces and sedition. The decision was confirmed by his legal team after a judicial process that lasted almost five years and drew international criticism.

His trial concluded in February 2026, after he was found guilty in December of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. A member of his legal team said that although Lai did not explain the reasons for his decision, he had given clear instructions not to file an appeal against either the conviction or the sentence.

Various governments and human rights organizations have called for his release. The issue was even raised by U.S. President Donald Trump in talks with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. However, both Hong Kong and Beijing stated that Jimmy Lai received a fair trial and that everyone receives the same treatment under the national security law.

Both governments insist that the law in force made it possible to restore political stability in the city after the pro-democracy protests of 2019, although human rights organizations question its impact on civil liberties.

Who is Jimmy Lai?

He is one of the most emblematic figures of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement. Lai was born in 1947 in mainland China and emigrated to Hong Kong as a child. He worked for years in textile factories before owning his own clothing brand, Giordano. Following the brand's success, he turned to the media sector and in 1995 founded the newspaper Apple Daily, which gained influence for its editorial line critical of the Chinese government and its support for the democracy movement.

After the 2019 pro-democracy protests and the subsequent imposition of the national security law on Hong Kong by China's central government, the authorities accused him of conspiring with foreign forces and of publishing material deemed seditious in his newspaper.
 

According to the prosecution, Lai allegedly used his media influence and international contacts to promote sanctions and pressure against the Chinese government and the Hong Kong administration.

The judicial process dragged on for several years after his arrest in December 2020, and his case has become one of the most visible symbols of the political changes in Hong Kong since that year and of the impact of the national security law on the judicial system, the media and the pro-democracy movement in the city.

The UN's call

Lai is currently 78 years old, and his health is a source of concern for his family and for international organizations. His children warned that he could die in prison due to his physical deterioration after more than five years in detention, part of that time in solitary confinement. The businessman suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure and progressive hearing loss.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, deplored the sentence handed down against the founder of Apple Daily and called for his immediate release on humanitarian grounds given his age and health, reiterating international concern over the deterioration of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong.

Türk stated that the verdict criminalizes the exercise of freedom of expression and association, which are protected under international law. According to the High Commissioner, the conviction is incompatible with international human rights obligations.

The UN office also expressed concern that the sentence against Lai treated cooperation with UN mechanisms as a relevant factor in establishing guilt and the subsequent conviction.

The United Nations stated that the case reflects a repressive trend in Hong Kong. Since the national security law was passed, several independent media outlets have been shut down, and there has been censorship and the arrest of journalists and activists. According to the UN, between 2020 and 2026 at least 385 people were arrested and 175 convicted of offenses related to this legislation.

The UN office reiterated its call to release those arbitrarily detained under these laws and called for a review of the legislation in force to ensure that it is compatible with international human rights standards. It also noted that any legislation intended to protect State security must be applied along the same lines and fully guarantee freedom of expression and of the press. 

Guillermo Whpei

President of Fundación para la Democracia