A Hong Kong court will consider sentencing for Jimmy Lai after concluding arguments, with judges acknowledging the complexity of the high-profile national security case.
HONG KONG: A panel of Hong Kong judges will consider the sentence for convicted media mogul Jimmy Lai after concluding two days of arguments.
Judge Alex Lee acknowledged the complexity of the case, stating “it’s not an easy task”.
The 78-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily was found guilty last month of collusion charges under the national security law and one count of seditious publication.
Collusion offences “of a grave nature” carry a prison term of between 10 years and life, while sedition has a maximum of two years.
Defence lawyers conceded the case, which involved calls for foreign sanctions, was likely of a “grave nature”.
All defendants except Lai pleaded guilty, with some testifying against him, which lawyers argued should entitle them to shorter sentences.
The court heard that associate publisher Chan Pui-man and her subordinate Lam Man-chung played limited roles in the criminal conspiracy.
Chan’s lawyer sought a lenient sentence so she could care for her elderly mother who suffers from dementia.
Lai, a British citizen, has been detained since 2020, with multiple Western nations calling for his release.
The three-judge panel did not specify when they will sentence Lai and his eight co-defendants.
