HONG KONG — Former media owner and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai scored an uncommon legal win Thursday when a Hong Kong appeals court reversed his fraud convictions, though the 78-year-old will remain behind bars serving a separate 20-year sentence.
Lai, who established the shuttered Apple Daily newspaper and has been a vocal opponent of China’s Communist leadership, received the two-decade prison term just weeks ago following his conviction under Beijing’s national security legislation.
His arrest occurred over five years ago as part of extensive government efforts to silence Hong Kong’s democracy movement leaders. International observers have condemned his treatment as an attack on press freedom, while local officials maintain his prosecution was unrelated to journalism.
Thursday’s overturned conviction stemmed from allegations that Lai’s consulting company improperly used office space leased by his media operations for publishing and printing activities.
In 2022, Lai received a sentence of five years and nine months after a court found him guilty on two fraud counts.
The original judge determined that Lai and co-defendant Wong Wai-keung had hidden the consulting firm’s use of the space, violating their lease terms. The judge stated Lai had used his news organization as cover and imposed a 2 million Hong Kong dollar fine ($257,000).
However, appellate judges determined prosecutors failed to demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt that the defendants made misleading statements, resulting in both convictions being dismissed.
Both defendants were absent from Thursday’s proceedings.
The decision may marginally reduce Lai’s overall prison time. Judges in his national security case permitted concurrent serving of sentences for only two years, with the remaining 18 years to follow completion of the fraud sentence.
The extended imprisonment has sparked worries that Lai may die in custody.
Lai’s family members have expressed optimism that President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to Beijing might help secure their father’s freedom. Lai holds British citizenship. The White House has announced Trump will visit China from March 31 through April 2 to meet with President Xi Jinping.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has stated that Lai was punished for exercising free speech rights and has urged Hong Kong officials to release him for humanitarian reasons.
Both Chinese and Hong Kong leadership have justified Lai’s national security conviction, claiming it demonstrates proper legal procedures. They maintain the security legislation is essential for maintaining regional stability.
