英语新闻丨Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years in prison

Hong Kong's High Court sentenced former media mogul Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 20 years in prison on Monday, following his conviction under the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region National Security Law.

2月9日，香港特区高等法院依据《中华人民共和国香港特别行政区维护国家安全法》，对前传媒大亨黎智英作出判决，判处其入狱20年。

The three national security judges—Esther Toh Lye-ping, D'Almada Remedios, and Alex Lee Wan-tang—handed down the sentence after Lai was found guilty in December on two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious materials.

本案由杜丽冰、李素兰、李运腾三名国安法指定法官审理，黎智英已于去年12月被裁定两项串谋勾结外国势力罪、一项串谋发布煽动刊物罪名成立，三名法官随后当庭作出上述量刑。

"It is the legislative intent that …the engagement of a foreign entity in endangering national security is generally to be regarded as an offence of a more serious nature which has to be met with a more severe penalty," the court said in a written judgment.

法院在书面判词中表示，相关立法原意在于，外国主体参与危害国家安全的行为，通常被认定为性质更为严重的犯罪，必须施以更严厉的刑罚。

As Lai was also sentenced to five years and nine months behind bars in December 2022 for one count of fraud, an offense of a "totally different nature and the facts of which were also unrelated to the present case", the court ruled that 18 of the total 20-year imprisonment are to be served consecutively to his fraud sentence.

黎智英曾于2022年12月因一项欺诈罪被判入狱5年9个月，该罪行与本案性质完全不同、涉案事实亦无关联。法院据此裁定，本案20年刑期中的18年，须与其欺诈罪刑期分期执行。

In laying out the grounds for sentencing for Lai, the court noted that he had received adequate medical attention and care during his time in prison.

法院在阐述量刑依据时提及，黎智英在羁押期间已获得充分的医疗照料与保障。

The court said it was not inclined to reduce Lai's sentence on medical grounds, since these are seldom used as basis for reducing sentences in cases involving grave crimes.

法院称，不会以健康为由对其减刑，在涉及严重罪行的案件中，健康状况极少作为减刑依据。

As for Lai's solitary confinement that was submitted by his counsel as a ground for mitigation, the judges said the arrangement was made on Lai's request out of his fear of "harassment". They noted that Lai was also allowed to exercise outside his cell during his imprisonment and was assigned meaningful though very light duty work.

针对辩方律师提出的“黎智英被单独监禁应作为减刑理由”，法官表示，该羁押安排系应黎智英本人申请作出，原因是其担心遭受“滋扰”。同时，黎智英在押期间获准外出活动，还被安排从事有意义但强度极低的工作。

Having considered all the circumstances, including Lai's old age, health condition and solitary confinement, the court deducted one month from Lai's sentence for seditious publication and one year each for the two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces.

综合考量黎智英年事已高、健康状况及单独监禁等全部情节，法院对其串谋发布煽动刊物罪减刑1个月，两项串谋勾结外国势力罪各减刑1年。

Lai's associated companies, Apple Daily Ltd, Apple Daily Printing Ltd, and AD Internet Ltd, were each fined HK$3,004,500 ($384,000).

黎智英关联企业——苹果日报有限公司、苹果日报印刷有限公司、苹果日报互联网有限公司，各被处以罚款300.45万港元（约合38.4万美元）。

His other eight co-defendants who had previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces were also sentenced on the same day. Among them, "Stand with Hong Kong" (SWHK) core members Andy Li Yu-hin and Wayland Chan Tsz-wah received sentences of seven years and three months, and six years and three months, respectively.

同日，此前已承认一项串谋勾结外国势力罪的另外8名同案被告亦获判刑。其中，“重光团队”（SWHK）核心成员李宇轩、陈梓华分别被判入狱7年3个月、6年3个月。

Next Digital senior personnel Cheung Kim-hung was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison, Chan Pui-man to seven years, and Yeung Ching-kee to seven years and three months.

壹传媒高层张剑虹被判入狱6年9个月，陈沛敏7年，杨清奇7年3个月。

Law Wai-kwong and Lam Man-chung and Fung Wai-kong were each sentenced to 10 years in jail. The court noted their sentences reflected the fact that they did not assist the authorities or provide evidence for the prosecution.

罗伟光、林文宗、冯伟光各被判入狱10年。法院指出，该量刑系因三人未配合执法机关、亦未向控方提供证据。

media mogul /ˈmiːdiə ˈməʊɡl/媒体大亨

conspiracy /kənˈspɪrəsi/阴谋

collude with foreign forces /kəˈluːd wɪð ˈfɒrɪn ˈfɔːsɪz/勾结外部势力

seditious /sɪˈdɪʃəs/煽动性的

grave crimes /ɡreɪv kraɪmz/严重罪行

prosecution /ˌprɒsɪˈkjuːʃn/检控