Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Hong Kong court after being convicted of colluding with foreign forces in violation of the heavily criticized national security law that China imposed on Hong Kong in 2020.
The defense gave no reason why it would not appeal the verdict.
Jimmy Lai founded the now-defunct, pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, which was often critical of Beijing. He is an outspoken critic of China's ruling Communist Party.
The verdict against him has been widely condemned, and UN human rights chief Volker Türk has said, among other things, that it violates international law.
The Hong Kong National Security Law was passed by China's National People's Congress on June 30, 2020, and is said to be aimed at "protecting national security."
The law lists four categories of crimes: separatism (secession), subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign powers or foreign elements that could seriously threaten national security.
The law has been condemned by a wide range of countries, as well as the EU and experts, who believe that it effectively abolishes the principle of "one country, two systems," which, according to the agreement when Britain handed over Hong Kong to China, is to apply until 2047. According to the agreement, Hong Kong is also to enact its own laws.
