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regular-article-logo Thursday, 02 May 2024

Jimmy Lai given new prison sentence of 14 months

He has been in jail since December after being denied bail in a separate national security trial

Reuters Hong Kong Published 29.05.21, 12:50 AM
Jimmy Lai.

Jimmy Lai. File picture

Jailed Hong Kong media tycoon and Beijing critic Jimmy Lai was given a new prison sentence of 14 months on Friday over his role in an unauthorised assembly on October 1, 2019, during one of the city’s pro-democracy rallies that year.

This month, Lai — who is already serving sentences adding up to 14 months for participating in similar demonstrations on August 18 and August 31, 2019 — and nine other activists pleaded guilty in district court to organising an unauthorised assembly.

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He has been in jail since December after being denied bail in a separate national security trial. He faces three charges under the new law, introduced by China in 2020 in response to the protests, including collusion with a foreign country.

Lai’s repeated arrests have drawn criticism from western governments and international rights groups, who raised concerns over waning freedoms in the global financial hub, including freedom of speech and assembly.

Beijing sees him as a traitor and an anti-China instigator.

Judge Amanda Woodcock, who handed Lai his previous illegal assembly sentence in April, delivered the sentence on Friday.

She said part of the new sentence would be served consecutively, meaning Lai faces a total of 20 months in prison so far.

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