China Took His City. And Now His Father.

When pro-democracy protesters marched in the streets in Hong Kong in 2019, China responded by arresting thousands, including the leaders of the movement.

One of the arrested was Jimmy Lai, who had used his newspaper to campaign for democracy. This month, he received a 20-year jail sentence.

In an interview, Michael Barbaro speaks to Mr. Lai’s son, Sebastien Lai, about the sentence, what it means for the pro-democracy movement and where Hong Kong may go from here.

Guest: Sebastien Lai, a democracy activist and the son of the pro-democracy media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai. (edited) 

Background reading:

• A Hong Kong court sentenced Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison.
• The sentence for the media mogul shows how Hong Kong enforces Xi Jinping’s red lines with a new severity.
• Listen to our interview with Jimmy Lai from 2020.

Photo: Andrew Testa for The New York Times

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