Countries including the United States, Britain and Australia have spoken out against Monday's sentence, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling it "unjust and tragic".
The European Union said it "deplores" 78-year-old Lai's sentencing and called for his "immediate and unconditional release", while Britain vowed to "rapidly engage further" on his case.
Asked about the criticism on Tuesday, China's foreign ministry said that "certain countries and institutions have used this judicial case... to maliciously smear Hong Kong".
"China firmly opposes this and has lodged solemn representations with the relevant countries and institutions," spokesman Lin Jian said at a regular news briefing.
Lai, a British citizen and founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, was found guilty in December of collusion with foreign countries by urging them to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and for publishing "seditious" articles in his paper.
His sentence is by far the harshest under Hong Kong's national security law, which Beijing imposed in 2020 after huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in the former British colony.
Lin said the ruling was "based on facts and law, is legal, just and beyond reproach".
Beijing urged "relevant parties to... immediately cease meddling in Hong Kong matters and China's internal affairs in any way", he added.
UN deplores Hong Kong mogul Jimmy Lai's jailing, demands release
Geneva (AFP) Feb 9, 2026 -
The United Nations rights chief deplored Monday the 20-year-sentence handed to Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai, demanding that the verdict be "promptly quashed".
Lai, a British citizen and founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, was found guilty in December of urging foreign countries to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and for publishing "seditious" articles in his paper.
On Monday, a Hong Kong court handed down the harshest penalty yet under a Beijing-imposed national security law.
"Jimmy Lai is a publisher sentenced to 20 years in prison for exercising rights protected under international law," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a statement.
"This outcome highlights how the vague and overly broad provisions of Hong Kong's national security legislation can lead to being interpreted and enforced in violation of Hong Kong's international human rights obligations," he warned.
"This verdict needs to be promptly quashed as incompatible with international law."
Rights groups have condemned 78-year-old Lai's punishment as "effectively a death sentence" and a symbol of the city's shrivelling press freedoms.
Turk appealed Monday "for Jimmy Lai's immediate release on humanitarian grounds, given his advanced age, health, and the impact of the more than four years he has already spent in detention".
- 'Broader repressive trend' -
Long a thorn in Beijing's side, Lai was prosecuted under the national security law imposed by China on Hong Kong in 2020 following huge pro-democracy protests.
The UN rights office pointed out that press freedoms had "sharply deteriorated" in Hong Kong since the law took effect, with many independent media outlets closed, and dozens of journalists arrested.
"This is part of a broader repressive trend in Hong Kong," Turk said.
Apple Daily itself was forced to close in 2021 after police raids.
Eight other defendants, including six Apple Daily executives, were handed sentences Monday of up to 10 years in jail. All had pleaded guilty.
Hong Kong had arrested a total of 386 people for various national security crimes by the start of this month, with 176 of them being convicted.
Turk reiterated his call for "the immediate release of those arbitrarily detained under these laws and for their repeal or amendment in line with international standards".
He stressed that he was ready to "engage constructively with the Hong Kong authorities, with a view to bringing the legislative framework into conformity with international law".
'Cruel': Hong Kong mogul Jimmy Lai's jailing sparks outcry
Hong Kong (AFP) Feb 9, 2026 -
Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced on Monday to 20 years in prison for foreign collusion and sedition, the harshest penalty yet under a Beijing-imposed national security law.
The 78-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper has been behind bars since 2020.
Here are some key reactions:
- Lai's children: 'Cruel' -
Lai's son Sebastien said in a statement: "Sentencing my father to this draconian prison sentence is devastating for our family and life-threatening for my father."
His daughter Claire added: "This is a heartbreakingly cruel sentence. Over the last five years, I have watched my father's health deteriorate dramatically and the conditions he's kept in go from bad to worse. If this sentence is carried out, he will die a martyr behind bars."
- Hong Kong leader: 'Deeply gratifying' -
Hong Kong leader John Lee said Lai's crimes were "heinous and evil in the extreme".
"(Lai's) heavy sentence of 20 years' imprisonment demonstrates the rule of law, upholds justice and is deeply gratifying," Lee said in a statement.
- Beijing: 'No room for argument' -
Lin Jian, spokesperson of China's foreign ministry, said Lai was a Chinese citizen and was "a key planner and participant in a series of anti-China and disruptive activities in Hong Kong".
"This is reasonable, legitimate, and legal; there is no room for argument," Lin said at a news briefing.
- UK: 'Rapidly engage further' -
Britain's foreign minister Yvette Cooper said Lai's penalty was "tantamount to a life sentence" and reiterated calls for the tycoon's release on humanitarian grounds.
"Following today's sentencing we will rapidly engage further on Mr Lai's case. We stand with the people of Hong Kong," Cooper added.
- EU: 'Deplores' -
The European Union said it "deplores" Lai's sentencing and called for his "immediate and unconditional release".
"The EU calls on the Hong Kong authorities to restore confidence in press freedom in Hong Kong... and to stop prosecuting journalists," EU foreign affairs spokesperson Anitta Hipper said.
- Human Rights Watch: 'Effectively a death sentence' -
Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said Lai's penalty was "effectively a death sentence".
"A sentence of this magnitude is both cruel and profoundly unjust," Pearson said in a statement.
- Taiwan: 'Chilling effect' -
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement that China and Hong Kong "have brought media influence and international connections within the scope of national security measures, aiming to create a chilling effect across sectors and borders".
- Reporters Without Borders: 'Collapse of press freedom' -
Thibaut Bruttin, director general of Reporters Without Borders, said Lai's case was "nothing more than a sham".
"This court decision underscores the complete collapse of press freedom in Hong Kong and the authorities' profound contempt for independent journalism," Bruttin said.
"Democracies, such as the UK and the US, must stop prioritising the normalisation of relations with China and instead exert pressure on the Chinese regime and Hong Kong authorities to ensure that Jimmy Lai and all other journalists are released from prison," he added.
- Legal scholar: 'On the high side' -
Simon Young, a law professor at the University of Hong Kong, said the parts of Lai's sentencing related to foreign collusion "appear to be on the high side".
"I think the Court is wrong to say that (pre-national security law) conduct can be considered in assessing the gravity of the offences," Young told AFP.
Lai's legal team should consider an appeal of sentence, he added.
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