Article #236931

Lack of response shows security law and harassment by authorities have muzzled ‘critical voices’, say experts

• The rise and fall of Jimmy Lai, whose trajectory mirrored that of Hong Kong itself

Hong Kong’s once-vibrant media outlets have responded with silence or celebration to the 20-year jail sentence handed down to Jimmy Lai, a pro-democracy media tycoon and critic of the Chinese Communist party.

Lai, 78, was sentenced on Monday to 20 years in prison after being convicted of sedition and colluding with foreign forces under Hong Kong’s national security law. The charges were widely seen as being politically motivated and designed to silence one of Hong Kong’s most influential pro-democracy campaigners.