RSF - Reporters sans frontières
RSF - Reporters sans frontières
06/22/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/22/2026 11:31
2000 days behind bars: time is running out for Jimmy Lai
Jimmy Lai, founder of the Apple Daily newspaper, which was forcibly shut down, has been imprisoned in Hong Kong for 2,000 days. His health has deteriorated dangerously as he continues to be subjected to solitary confinement. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) once again urges democratic leaders worldwide to live up to their commitments and secure the release of the British publisher and press freedom defender.
On 22 June 2026, Jimmy Lai will have been in arbitrary detention in Hong Kong for 2,000 days-five and a half years. The 78-year-old, a laureate of the RSF Press Freedom Award, was recently sentenced to 20 years in prison under spurious charges, the longest sentence ever handed to a journalist under the National Security Law.
"Given his advanced age, chronic health conditions, and the severe conditions of his detention, each passing day heightens the risk that Jimmy Lai could die in prison. His case requires immediate and decisive action from democratic leaders worldwide, as any further delay places his life in grave danger. We call on these leaders, in particular Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Donald Trump who have both previously pledged to push for his release, to move beyond mere statements and take concrete steps to ensure his freedom. They must press the Chinese authorities to free him without delay on medical grounds, so that he may be reunited with his family and receive the urgent care he so desperately needs.
Aleksandra Bielakowska
Advocacy Manager, RSF Asia Pacific
Jimmy Lai has been detained since December 2020 in harsh conditions, including prolonged solitary confinement and just 50 minutes of daily exercise in a metal cage, resulting in severe health decline, including significant weight loss, rotting teeth, and loss of fingernails.
RSF has continuously campaigned for his and Apple Daily staff's release, repeatedly raising international concern, including urging UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to finally meet with Lai's son in 2026 and calling on U.S. President Donald Trump to press for his release during a state visit to China. Despite previous high-level commitments - including Starmer's stated priority to secure Lai's freedom and Trump's August 2025 pledge to do "everything I can to save him" - Lai remains detained, with little visible progress toward his release.
Five years since closing of Apple Daily
This week also marks the 5th anniversary of Jimmy Lai's Apple Daily being forced to shut down. On 24 June 2021, its final edition reached a record print run of one million copies, ten times its usual circulation-symbolising the end of a major newspaper in Hong Kong. The closure followed a police raid involving nearly 500 officers and the freezing of its parent company's assets, leaving seven former staff still detained. In 2025, RSF brought together former Apple Daily staff and other exiled journalists from the territory to produce a special edition that celebrates the enduring spirit of the newspaper.
Hong Kong is ranked 140th out of 180 countries and territories in the 2026 RSF World Press Freedom Index, having fallen from 18th place in two decades. Journalists in Hong Kong are systematically subjected to harassment, online and offline surveillance, doxxing and threats.
Published on 22.06.2026
RSF - Reporters sans frontières published this content on June 22, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 22, 2026 at 17:31 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]