Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai successfully won an appeal against his 2022 fraud conviction. The Court of Appeal quashed the charges related to illegally subletting office space, overturning the nearly six-year sentence he had originally received.
Despite this legal victory, the 78-year-old remained behind bars. Earlier that month, he had been sentenced to 20 years under the city’s national security law for allegedly colluding with foreign forces.
Lai, a British citizen and outspoken critic of Beijing, had been a leading figure in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and was detained since 2020. His daughter, Claire Lai, described the ruling as “nothing more than a PR move by the Hong Kong authorities,” emphasizing that her father’s imprisonment continued.
International lawyer Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, representing Lai, noted that the decision “changed nothing” and warned that his health remained at serious risk in prison.
Lai had founded Apple Daily in 1995, which became the largest pro-democracy paper in Hong Kong. The publication was forced to close in 2021 after Lai and key staff were arrested. His fraud trial had centered on allegations of violating lease agreements by allowing a private consultancy to operate in Apple Daily office space.
Former executive Wong Wai-keung was also jailed for 21 months in connection with the case. Critics argued that these prosecutions reflected shrinking civil liberties under the Beijing-imposed national security law, which foreign governments claimed was used to silence activists like Lai.
While authorities maintained he was receiving proper care, Lai’s family raised concerns about his deteriorating health, including dental decay and fingernail damage. Supporters of Lai viewed the appeal ruling with skepticism, noting that his long-term imprisonment remained unchanged.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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