'Sad day for Hong Kong': Canadian niece of pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai calls out 20-year prison term

jemmy Lai's niece in Niagara-on-the-Lake says it's a "sad daytime for Hong Kong" after the pro-democracy activistic and media moghul was sentenced to 20 years in prison under a China-imposed national security law.

"This is an example of just how much has changed in Hong Kong in terms of freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of press. My heart breaks for Hong Kong," Erica Lepp told Metro Morning on Monday.

In custody since 2020, Lai was found guilty in December of conspiring with others to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiracy to publish seditious articles. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

In sentencing the 78-year-old on the weekend, Judge Esther Toh said 18 years of his term should be served consecutively to his jail term in his fraud case, for which he received a sentence of five years and nine months. Lai can appeal his case.

Although three government-vetted judges spared Lai the maximum penalty of life imprisonment, Lepp said: "This is basically a life sentence for my uncle."

Hong Konger-Canadian groups across Canada — including in Vancouver, Saskatchewan, Toronto and Montreal — have also denounced the sentencing of Lai, calling it "draconian."

In a joint statement, the groups said keeping an "elderly prisoner" who is diabetic and has already spent much of his 1,800 days in custody in solitary confinement is "cruel," "degrading" and a "violation of international human rights."

Lai, a fierce critic of Beijing, founded Apple Daily, a pro-democracy newspaper in Hong Kong that ran for 26 years until it was shut down in 2021. He also owns several hotels in the Niagara Region.

Lai's co-defendants, six former employees of his Apple Daily newspaper and two activists, received prison terms of between 6¼ and 10 years on collusion-related charges.

"It was heartbreaking to say the least," Lepp, the daughter of Lai's twin sister, said of learning about her uncle's sentence. "It felt very heavy, even though we knew it was coming."

She said the news has had a big impact on her mother.

"This is very hard for her and she will privately grieve this very difficult news."

Lai owns Vintage Hotels, a string of inns across Niagara.

"Niagara-on-the-Lake was very much his home in Canada," said Lepp.

She added that the small town's community is tight knit and always asks about Lai.

"No doubt with the news last night ... That it will be on all of our local newspapers, and we will receive a lot of messages about it. It's a wonderful community who loves my uncle and our family deeply."

In November, Lai's family and community held a rally near a G7 meeting in Niagara-on-the-Lake that pushed for his release.

Arrested in August 2020, he appeared to be facing health challenges during his trial. His lawyers said he suffered from heart palpitations.

Lai's children have said he lost 22 pounds in the last year. They also said he suffered from infections for months, and had constant back pain, diabetes, heart issues and high blood pressure.

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