Jimmy Lai’s fraud conviction overturned, remains jailed in China

British pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai has been cleared of fraud charges in Hong Kong, but will still serve a 20-year prison sentence under China’s national security law. Lai, 78, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, was sentenced to 5 years and 9 months in 2022 for fraud, which was overturned by a Hong Kong court. Despite the cleared charges, Lai still faces convictions for conspiracy and publishing seditious materials, with concerns raised over his lengthy prison term.

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