UN human rights experts have expressed “deep disappointment” over the conviction of pro-democracy media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai, calling for his immediate release on humanitarian grounds. Lai, 78, was convicted on 15 December 2025 on sedition and foreign collusion charges under Hong Kong’s controversial National Security Law, more than five years after his initial arrest, according to UN statements.
“This conviction is another symbolic turn in the dramatic decline in fundamental freedoms and judicial independence in Hong Kong SAR since 2019,” the experts said. “It demonstrates the lengths the authorities are willing to go to silence dissent or criticism, including against a man with serious health concerns.”
Lai, founder of the now-closed Apple Daily newspaper, has long been an outspoken advocate for press freedom, democracy, and human rights in Hong Kong. His arrest in August 2020 was linked to tweets, interviews, and articles highlighting the restrictive impact of the National Security Law on fundamental freedoms. UN experts have repeatedly raised concerns that the charges are directly related to his pro-democracy activities.
The UN statement highlighted alleged “serious due process failures” during Lai’s trial, including claims that a prosecution-turned witness was tortured in China, with the evidence neither investigated nor excluded. “This conviction represents a direct assault on freedom of expression and media freedom, and is deliberately aimed at deepening the chilling effect on civil society,” the experts said.
Lai has previously faced multiple convictions. In 2021, he was sentenced to 17 months for unauthorised assembly linked to pro-democracy protests, and in October 2022, he received 5 years and 9 months for fraud. UN experts previously raised their concerns with authorities in 2020, 2023, and 2024, and in 2024, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention declared his detention unlawful and arbitrary, calling for his immediate release.
The experts urged Hong Kong authorities to take into account Lai’s advanced age and health conditions, considering non-custodial measures or release on humanitarian grounds. “As we await sentencing, we urge the Government and the court to recognise the time he has already served and to issue a non-custodial sentence or release him,” they said.
Lai’s case has become emblematic of the broader crackdown on civil society, independent journalists, and human rights defenders in Hong Kong, illustrating the growing risks for those expressing dissent in the Special Administrative Region.
