Political Prisoner Record

China (Hong Kong)

Jimmy Lai Chee-ying: UN Working Group opinion and current status

UN Working Group on Arbitrary DetentionOpinion No. 34/2024, adopted 30 August 2024

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found that his deprivation of liberty "is arbitrary and falls within categories I, II, III and V". It called for his immediate release, compensation, revision of the National Security Law and an independent investigation.1

Category ICategory IICategory IIICategory V

Read the opinion

Government position

According to the opinion, the Government did not reply to the communication. After his sentencing, a Hong Kong government spokesperson said the case had "nothing to do with freedom of the press at all", per CNN, and Beijing maintained that he received a fair trial, per Reuters.1,3,2

Background

According to the opinion, Mr. Lai, a British citizen and founder of Apple Daily, was arrested in 2020 and faced National Security Law charges of collusion with foreign forces, as well as sedition and fraud charges, with the National Security Law trial beginning on 18 December 2023. Reuters reported that he denies all charges.1,2

Status now

Serving a 20 year prison sentence imposed on 9 February 2026, after being convicted in December 2025 on two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of publishing seditious materials, per Reuters and CNN. Reuters reported on 6 March 2026 that his lawyer said he would not appeal the conviction or the sentence. In a separate case, AFP reported that on 26 February 2026 the High Court quashed his 2022 fraud conviction and set aside that sentence.2,3,4,5

As of 6 March 2026.

Findings on this site are those of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, an independent body of experts. Its opinions are not court judgments. Each record includes the government's position where it gave one.

Sources

  1. UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Opinion No. 34/2024 concerning Jimmy Lai Chee-ying (Hong Kong, China), A/HRC/WGAD/2024/34 (26 September 2024)
  2. Reuters (via Khaleej Times), Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years jail in national security trial (9 February 2026)
  3. CNN (via ABC17), Hong Kong's Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in prison after landmark national security trial (8 February 2026)
  4. Reuters (via Aaj English), Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai will not appeal conviction, 20-year sentence (6 March 2026)
  5. AFP (via The Star), Hong Kong mogul Jimmy Lai wins appeal in fraud case (26 February 2026)