Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai has won his appeal against a 2022 fraud conviction that had added nearly six years to his prison term.
The Court of Appeal overturned the convictions against Lai and former executive Wong Wai-keung, who had been accused of breaching lease terms by subletting office space linked to Apple Daily.
Despite the ruling, the 78-year-old will remain behind bars. Earlier this month, he received a 20-year sentence under Hong Kong’s national security law for colluding with foreign forces.
Lai, a British citizen and outspoken critic of Beijing, has been in detention since 2020. He founded Apple Daily in 1995, building it into one of Hong Kong’s leading pro-democracy newspapers before authorities shut it down in 2021.
His daughter, Claire Lai, dismissed the appeal decision as a public relations move. She said her father remains unjustly imprisoned and warned that his health continues to decline. His international legal team also argued that the overturned fraud case does not change the broader concerns about fairness in the legal system.
The fraud case centred on claims that Lai allowed a private consultancy to operate from office space leased for his newspaper. Prosecutors said this breached contract terms.
Lai’s legal battles have drawn international attention. Governments in the United Kingdom and the United States have criticised the use of the national security law against activists. Beijing and Hong Kong officials insist the law protects stability and national security.
Supporters fear Lai could spend the rest of his life in prison. Rights groups have raised concerns about his health, while authorities maintain he receives proper medical care.
