His Family Says He Will Die a Martyr: Jimmy Lai Sentenced to 20 Years for Defending Freedom

Michael Ringer

13 Feb 2026 — 2 min read

Catholic Media Tycoon Jimmy Lai Sentenced to 20 Years in Hong Kong as Christian Supporters Call for Prayer

Jimmy Lai, the 78 year old Catholic media tycoon and pro democracy activist, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Hong Kong court on February 9, 2026, the harshest sentence delivered under Beijing's national security law.

Lai was convicted of conspiring to collude with foreign forces and publishing seditious articles. His son Sebastien Lai called the sentence "essentially a death sentence" for his elderly father. Human Rights Watch agreed.

78 Year Old Catholic Publisher Faces Death in Prison for Defending Press Freedom in Hong Kong

Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in prison

Christian activists and friends of Lai, including

Father Robert Sirico of the Acton Institute, have urged believers worldwide to pray for his release. Sirico said Lai "sees his imprisonment as a way of joining in Christ's passion on the cross."

In prison, Lai has committed himself to prayer, religious reading, and creating drawings of the crucifixion. He converted to Catholicism in 1997 and has described his faith as the foundation of his commitment to freedom and truth. The UN has called for his immediate release.

The Crusader's Opinion

Jimmy Lai is 78 years old. Twenty years is a death sentence and everyone knows it. Beijing knows it. Hong Kong's puppet court knows it. And yet this man, who could have fled with his fortune, chose to stay and face the consequences of telling the truth. He draws pictures of the crucifixion in his cell. He prays. He waits. If that is not the witness of a modern martyr, nothing is. Every Christian who values freedom owes Jimmy Lai their voice. Speak for him. He can no longer speak for himself.

Take Action

Pray: Pray for Jimmy Lai's health, safety, and spiritual strength in prison. Pray for his family.
Contact: Write to the Chinese Embassy and Hong Kong trade office demanding Lai's immediate release.
Share: Share Jimmy Lai's story. A 78 year old Catholic man will die in prison for defending freedom. The world must know.
Learn: Read about Lai's faith in prison at Catholic World Report

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