WASHINGTON (February 10, 2026) – Media mogul Jimmy Lai, 78, is sentenced to 20 years in prison for national security offenses in Hong Kong. As a pro-democracy activist and critic of China’s Communist Party, Lai was found guilty of sedition and conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. This marks the harshest punishment given to anyone under the national security law since Beijing introduced it as part of crackdowns in 2020.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said that Lai’s prison term is equal to a “life sentence.” This case has drawn scrutiny from world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, who vowed to secure Lai’s release after Lai was convicted in December. As Lai is a U.K. citizen, his son hopes that China may release his father as a way to appeal to the U.K. and U.S.
For analysis on these developments, please consider Robert (Bob) Sutter , professor of practice of international affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs. Sutter is an expert on U.S.-China relations, China’s rise-domestic and international implications, Chinese foreign relations, Contemporary U.S. policy toward Asia and the Pacific, and political, security and economic development in Asia and the Pacific.
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