Jimmy Lai gets 20 years, but for Father Mella, Hong Kongers are with him
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Originally published by Asia News on Feb. 9, 2026
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The China Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) group also reacted to the verdict, calling for the release of the 78-year-old Catholic leader and editor of Apple Daily, imprisoned under Hong Kong’s infamous national security legislation.
“Given his age and the length of the sentence, Lai is at heightened risk of dying in prison,” reads a report by the group. “Jimmy Lai has committed no crime and should be released immediately,” said Angeli Datt, CHRD’s research and advocacy coordinator.
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Lai’s already poor health, the CHRD notes, has been compounded by prolonged solitary confinement. He suffers from diabetes, hypertension, cataracts, and heart problems and has spent more than 1,800 days in solitary confinement.
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The CHRD notes that several human rights defenders have died in custody in China, denied proper care, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, the revered Tibetan monk Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, and Cao Shunli. So far no Chinese leader or official has been held accountable for these deaths.
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