Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai handed additional jail term

Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai was handed an additional jail term on Friday for his involvement in huge democracy rallies, meaning he will serve a total of 14 months in prison.

Lai was initially sentenced on Friday to 12 months in jail for organising one rally, then to another eight months for his participation in a different anti-government protest. However, he will only serve 14 months as part of the jail terms will be served concurrently.

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The latest sentencing was linked to a rally on August 31, 2019 marking the fifth anniversary of Beijing‘s rejection of a call for universal suffrage for Hong Kong, which sparked the 79-day “Umbrella Movement”.

The rally descended into city-wide chaos as police clashed with pro-democracy protesters.

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Alongside Lai, former lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan was sentenced to six months in jail, while another veteran democrat Yeung Sum received a suspended sentence.