UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has condemned the 20-year jail sentence imposed on media tycoon Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong, calling for his immediate release.

The Hong Kong High Court sentenced 78-year-old Lai, and established the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, on February 9th, 2026.

The court found him guilty on December 15th, 2025, of conspiracy to publish seditious material under the Crimes Ordinance and two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces under the National Security Law (NSL).

However, Lai denies all charges, and his appeals are currently pending.

Türk stated in Geneva yesterday that the verdict criminalizes protected rights to expression and media freedom and association based on activities which took place before the NSL was enacted.

The UN Human Rights Office noted that the NSL’s vague collusion with external forces provision poses a threat to journalists and civil society organizations who participate in UN activities.

“Jimmy Lai is a publisher sentenced to 20 years in prison for exercising rights protected under international law,” Türk stated.

The outcome demonstrates that law enforcement officials will interpret and apply Hong Kong’s national security legislation because its undefined and excessively expansive provisions create this problem.

This verdict needs immediate elimination because it conflicts with international law requirements.

Turk issued an appeal seeking humanitarian release of Lai because of his advanced age and poor health after more than four years of imprisonment. The judgment referenced UN interactions as evidence, raising alarms.

Hong Kong has experienced a massive decline in press freedom since the NSL law took effect in 2020 and the Safeguarding Ordinance became effective in 2024. The authorities closed independent outlets, detained journalists, and made it difficult for foreign reporters to obtain visas.

“The repressive pattern in Hong Kong causes hundreds of people to face arrest and prosecution under these laws,” Türk added.

Six others—former Apple Daily staff, an activist, and a paralegal—received 6-10 years. The security laws led to 385 arrests and 175 convictions between 2020 and 2026, according to security law enforcement statistics.

Türk called for the release of people who faced arbitrary detention while requesting legal reform to match International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights standards through direct communication with government officials.