Beijing Dismantles the City's Press Freedom and Political Opposition
February 10th, 2026: China Releases National Security White PaperNew here? Follow stories to track developments over time. Create a free account to get updates when stories you care about change.
When Britain returned Hong Kong to China in 1997, Beijing promised the city could keep its free press, independent courts, and civil liberties for 50 years. That guarantee lasted 23 years. Just yesterday, on February 9, 2026, a Hong Kong court sentenced 78-year-old media tycoon Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison—the longest punishment ever imposed under the National Security Law that Beijing enacted in June 2020 to silence dissent.
Lai built Apple Daily into Hong Kong's most-read newspaper, a tabloid that mixed celebrity gossip with relentless criticism of Beijing. Authorities accused him of conspiring with foreign forces by meeting U.S. officials and publishing articles that called for international sanctions during the 2019 protests. The U.S. State Department, UK Foreign Office, UN human rights experts, and Amnesty International condemned the sentence as politically motivated, while China responded on February 10 with a white paper touting Hong Kong's national security achievements under 'one country, two systems.' Human Rights Watch called the sentence a "death sentence" given Lai's age. His family said he would "die a martyr behind bars." The case marks the most significant prosecution in a campaign that has imprisoned over 300 people, shuttered independent media outlets, and dropped Hong Kong's press freedom ranking from 80th to 140th worldwide.
GNR Infographics Hong Kong national security offences
Tens of thousands of protesters waving US flags marched on Hong Kong's US Consulate to call for help from the Trump administration in ending a three-month confrontation with the government, calling for the passing of the proposed "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act 2019" by the US Congress - 8th September 2019
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Hong Kong's most widely read pro-democracy newspaper, shut down after authorities froze its assets under the National Security Law.
The local government administering Hong Kong under Chinese sovereignty, now implementing Beijing's national security framework.
An international human rights organization that has extensively documented Hong Kong's crackdown on dissent.
China's State Council issues white paper 'Hong Kong: Safeguarding China's National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems,' highlighting achievements since 2020 law, central government's responsibility, and Hong Kong's shift from 'disorder to stability.' Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee welcomes it and pledges implementation.
Lai receives the longest sentence ever imposed under the National Security Law. Eight co-defendants, including six Apple Daily journalists, receive 6 to 10 years each. At 78, Lai would not be eligible for parole until his late 90s.
Three government-appointed judges find Lai guilty of two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious materials. The 855-page verdict describes him as the 'mastermind' of the conspiracies.
After nearly a year of prosecution evidence, Lai begins his defense testimony. He will spend 52 days on the stand over the following months.
Forty-five democracy activists receive sentences totaling over 240 years. Benny Tai gets 10 years as the 'mastermind'; Joshua Wong receives 4 years and 8 months. The case is the largest national security prosecution to date.
Two Stand News editors become the first journalists convicted of sedition since the 1997 handover. Former editor-in-chief Chung Pui-kuen receives 21 months; Patrick Lam gets time served due to illness.
Hong Kong enacts its own domestic security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law, introducing new offenses including 'external interference' and crimes related to state secrets, with penalties up to life imprisonment.
After more than three years in detention, Lai's trial opens before three government-appointed judges, with no jury. He faces charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and conspiracy to publish seditious materials.
Police raid Stand News, another pro-democracy outlet, arresting seven people including former editors. The publication closes immediately.
Apple Daily prints one million copies of its final edition—twelve times the normal run. Residents queue for hours to buy copies. The front page reads: 'Thank you Hong Kong people for your loyal support.'
Police arrest five more Apple Daily executives and freeze HK$18 million in company assets, leaving the newspaper unable to pay its 600 staff members.
Police arrest 55 people connected to an unofficial primary election held to select pro-democracy candidates. The case becomes known as the 'Hong Kong 47' after charges are filed against 47 defendants.
Two hundred police officers raid Apple Daily's newsroom, arresting founder Jimmy Lai and nine others on suspicion of collusion with foreign forces. Images of officers rifling through the newsroom flash around the world.
China's National People's Congress passes a sweeping security law criminalizing secession, subversion, terrorism, and 'collusion with foreign forces,' with penalties up to life imprisonment. The law bypasses Hong Kong's legislature entirely.
One million people march against proposed legislation allowing extradition to mainland China, triggering months of protests that would escalate into broader demands for democracy.
Hong Kong becomes a Special Administrative Region of China under the 'one country, two systems' framework, with guarantees of autonomy, press freedom, and civil liberties until 2047.
Discussed by: Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, press freedom organizations, Lai's family members
Given Lai's age (78), reported health deterioration, and the length of his sentence, press freedom advocates consider it likely he will die in custody. His family has said he would 'die a martyr.' This outcome would cement his status as an international symbol of Beijing's crackdown, potentially fueling sustained diplomatic pressure and further damaging Hong Kong's reputation as a business hub. It would echo the death of Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel laureate who died in Chinese custody in 2017.
Discussed by: U.S. Senators, Trump administration officials, UK Foreign Office
President Trump has said he raised Lai's case with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and is expected to visit China in coming months. Lai is a British citizen, and London has repeatedly called for his release. A negotiated release—potentially as part of broader U.S.-China or UK-China diplomatic arrangements—remains possible. However, Beijing would likely demand significant concessions, and releasing Lai would contradict the stated purpose of the National Security Law.
Discussed by: Legal observers, Hong Kong lawyers
Lai's legal team may pursue appeals through Hong Kong's courts. While courts have occasionally reduced sentences on appeal, the National Security Law was designed to limit such outcomes, and the three judges who convicted Lai were specifically appointed by the government to hear security cases. A meaningful reduction appears unlikely given the political nature of the prosecution.
Discussed by: Amnesty International, foreign correspondents in Hong Kong, academic analysts
The Lai conviction and Article 23 legislation have established a legal framework for continued prosecutions. Foreign journalists, academics, NGO workers, or anyone engaging with foreign governments or media could theoretically face similar charges. Some foreign correspondents have already left Hong Kong; more departures and prosecutions could follow, completing the transformation of Hong Kong's information environment.
Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2009 for 'inciting subversion of state power' after co-authoring Charter 08, a manifesto calling for political reform. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 while imprisoned—the ceremony featured an empty chair. In 2017, Liu was diagnosed with liver cancer and released on medical parole; he died three weeks later at age 61.
China blocked news of the Nobel Prize domestically and put Liu's wife under house arrest. No representative was permitted to accept the award.
Liu became the first Nobel Peace Prize winner to die in state custody since 1935. His case established a pattern: prominent dissidents may die in Chinese custody despite international pressure.
Like Liu, Lai is an elderly dissident facing a sentence that effectively amounts to life imprisonment. Human rights groups explicitly compare the cases, calling Lai's 20-year term a 'death sentence.' The Liu precedent suggests international outcry may not secure Lai's release.
Chinese troops and tanks entered Beijing's Tiananmen Square to crush pro-democracy protests that had drawn over a million people. The military killed hundreds to thousands of civilians—the exact toll remains unknown and censored within China. Mass arrests followed; some participants remained imprisoned for decades.
The Chinese Communist Party declared martial law, conducted mass arrests, and purged reformist officials. International governments imposed sanctions.
The crackdown ended China's brief period of political opening. Discussion of the massacre remains forbidden in mainland China. The event transformed Jimmy Lai from a businessman into a pro-democracy activist.
The Tiananmen massacre was the catalyzing event for Lai's political activism. He witnessed colleagues cheering the crackdown and decided to devote his resources to promoting democracy. His prosecution represents Beijing completing the suppression of Tiananmen-inspired dissent in the last territory where it was legal to commemorate the massacre.
Singapore's government arrested 22 people under the Internal Security Act, accusing them of a 'Marxist conspiracy' to overthrow the government. Those detained included lawyers, social workers, and Catholic Church lay workers. Several were held without trial for years; some were released and re-detained when they recanted forced confessions.
International human rights organizations condemned the detentions. The U.S. State Department expressed concern. Several detainees later documented their treatment, including sleep deprivation and psychological pressure.
Singapore maintained its internal security framework while transforming into a global financial center. The case demonstrated that authoritarian legal tools can coexist with economic prosperity—a model Beijing appears to be applying to Hong Kong.
The Singapore model offers a potential template for Hong Kong's future: economic openness combined with strict political controls and security laws that silence dissent. Both used security legislation to target religious and civil society figures alongside political activists.