09/02/2026 (Agence Europe) – In a statement published on Monday 9 February, the European Commission strongly deplored the twenty-year prison sentence handed down by the High Court of Hong Kong on the same day to pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai. The spokeswoman for Foreign Affairs, Anitta Hipper, reiterated the EU’s call for his “immediate and unconditional release”, citing his “advanced age and health condition”. Founder of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, Jimmy Lai was found guilty of sedition and conspiring with foreign powers. He was prosecuted under the National Security Law imposed by Beijing in 2020, a few months after the demonstrations that shook Hong Kong in protest at the government’s policies. The Commission described the trial as “politically motivated”, urging the local authorities to stop prosecuting journalists and restore press freedom. (JM)