Hong Kong Court Overturns Jimmy Lai’s Fraud Conviction

Hong Kong’s appellate court overturned fraud convictions against media mogul Jimmy Lai, a rare win for the pro-democracy advocate. The 78-year-old founder of Apple Daily had been sentenced to five years and nine months in 2022 on two fraud charges related to lease violations. The ruling determined prosecutors failed to prove Lai committed rent fraud. However, Lai will remain in detention despite this victory. Weeks prior, he received a 20-year sentence after being convicted under a China-imposed national security law for collusion. This earlier conviction ensures Lai may still spend the rest of his life in prison, despite the quashed fraud charges. He remains a prominent critic of China’s ruling Communist party.