Jimmy Lai gets 14 months in 2nd illegal assembly conviction

Hong Kong's District Court on Friday sentenced media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 14 months in prison for organizing an illegal assembly in 2019.

Lai is currently serving a 14-month prison sentence he received in April for taking part in unauthorized assemblies in August 2019. The judge consolidated the two sentences, meaning Lai will serve 20 months in prison.

Nine other defendants, including former lawmaker Albert Ho Chun-yan and Figo Chan Ho-wun, convener of the radical Civil Human Rights Front, also received prison sentences ranging from 14 to 18 months for organizing the same assembly. Two of them received suspended sentences of 24 months.

Judge Amanda Jane Woodcock determined that the assembly resulted in massive public disorder and descended into violence, which was opposite to the defendants' claim.

Lai and nine other defendants pleaded guilty on May 17 to organizing an unauthorized assembly on Oct 1, 2019. Among them, Chan, Ho and two other ex-lawmakers, Lee Cheuk-yan and Leung Kwok-hung, also pleaded guilty to the offense of inciting others to participate in an unlawful assembly on Sept 30, 2019.

The others convicted are former district councilor Richard Tsoi Yiu-cheong, ex-lawmakers Sin Chung-kai, Yeung Sum and Cyd Ho Sau-lan, and activist Avery Ng Man-yuen.

Lai is also charged with offenses involving the National Security Law for Hong Kong, including colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security. The case was adjourned to June 15.