National security judges cite ‘extensive roles’ as 6 ex-Apple Daily staffers jailed for up to 10 years

2026-02-09 - 07:07

Six former Apple Daily employees have been jailed for up to 10 years in a landmark national security case, with judges saying they played “affirmative and extensive roles.” Journalists and police officers outside the West Kowloon Law Courts Building on February 9, 2026, ahead of the sentencing of pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. Cheung Kim-hung, Chan Pui-man, Ryan Law, Lam Man-chung, Fung Wai-kong, and Yeung Ching-kee appeared alongside their former boss, media mogul Jimmy Lai, at the West Kowloon Law Courts Building on Monday to receive their sentences. The former newspaper staff members, alongside Lai, were accused of conspiring to collude with foreign powers. The employees’ sentences were handed down after judges announced a 20-year jail term for Lai. The media mogul pleaded not guilty and sat through a 156-day trial. Law, former editor-in-chief of Apple Daily; Lam, former executive editor-in-chief of Apple Daily; and Fung, former managing editor of Apple Daily’s English version, all received 10-year sentences. See also: HKFP Live: Sentencing of media tycoon Jimmy Lai after nat. security conviction Cheung, ex-CEO of the newspaper’s parent company Next Digital; Chan Pui-man, Apple Daily’s former associate publisher; and ex-editorial writer Yeung were given shorter sentences as they testified against Lai. Media tycoon Jimmy Lai and co-defendants were sentenced on February 9, 2026. Cheung, Chan and Yeung were jailed for six years and nine months, seven years, and seven years and three months, respectively. The six defendants have already been remanded since mid-2021, when they were arrested. They pleaded guilty in November 2022. ‘Knowing parties’ In a reasons for sentence document, the three judges presiding over the case – Alex Lee, Esther Toh, and Susana Maria D’Almada Remedios – wrote that Lai was “no doubt the mastermind.” While it was harder to identify the “relative culpability” of the other co-defendants, all of them were “knowing parties and their roles were active, affirmative and extensive,” the judges said. Journalists outside the West Kowloon Law Courts Building on February 9, 2026, ahead of the sentencing of pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. Under the national security law, foreign collusion offences considered of “grave nature” should see sentences of no less than 10 years. The judges set the starting point of the six former Apple Daily staff’s sentences at 15 years. The judges noted that Cheung, Chan and Yeung were “truthful witnesses” whose evidence in favour of the prosecution “significantly contributed” to Lai’s conviction. “A lighter and reduced penalty than the starting point may be imposed,” the judges wrote. Besides their assistance to the prosecution, Cheung, Chan and Yeung were also given discounts for other factors. Cheung and Chan had “good character,” the judges wrote, and both were involved in charity work – though they noted that Cheung’s contributions were more significant. Meanwhile, the judges said they were “not without sympathy” for Yeung’s family situation. His wife was left permanently disabled after a brain haemorrhage in August 2022, and their son quit his job and became a full-time carer to his mother. The judges granted Yeung a discount “purely on humanitarian grounds,” according to the document. The other three former Apple Daily staffers were not given any discounts beyond the customary one-third relief for pleading guilty. HK$3 million fines Besides the Apple Daily staff, activists Wayland Chan Tsz-wah and Andy Li – also co-defendants – received their sentences on Monday. Cardinal Zen and Jimmy Lai’s wife Teresa arrive at the West Kowloon Law Courts Building on February 9, 2026, ahead of the sentencing of the pro-democracy media tycoon. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. Both Chan and Li testified for the prosecution. Chan was jailed for six years and three months, while Li was jailed for seven years and three months. Three companies linked to the newspaper – Apple Daily Limited, Apple Daily Printing Limited and AD Internet Limited – were each fined HK$3,004,500. All three companies are already insolvent. “Despite their incapacity to pay, their penalties have to reflect the objective seriousness of the conduct and to have the necessary general deterrent effect,” the judges wrote. Speaking to reporters outside the court after the jail terms were handed down, Steve Li, chief superintendent of the police’s National Security Department, welcomed the sentences. National Security Department Chief Superintendent Steve Li on February 9, 2026. Photo: James Lee/HKFP. He said police would be in contact with the Department of Justice to consider whether the authorities wanted to seek longer sentences through appeals. Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong’s mini-constitution in June 2020 following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts – broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers and led to hundreds of arrests amid new legal precedents, while dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The authorities say it restored stability and peace to the city, rejecting criticism from trade partners, the UN and NGOs.