Secretary Rubio, other leaders denounce Jimmy Lai’s ‘tragic’ 20-year sentence

“The Hong Kong High Court’s decision to sentence Jimmy Lai to 20 years is an unjust and tragic conclusion to this case,” said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a Feb. 9 statement.Jimmy Lai, Catholic entrepreneur and media tycoon, was sentenced on Feb. 9 to 20 years in prison over what Chinese officials claim were national security violations.The sentencing comes after Lai’s December 2025 conviction, which ended several years of what advocates have described as a politically motivated show…