By Committee to Protect Journalists

The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes #pressfreedom worldwide.

Published Feb 12, 2026

CPJ condemns the 20-year prison sentence handed down to publisher Jimmy Lai, the founder of now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, in Hong Kong’s biggest media trial.

Lai, the founder of the pro-democracy Apple Daily and a British citizen, has been in jail since 2020, amid concerns over his deteriorating health. The court ruling is effectively a life sentence for the 78-year-old.

Lai was convicted on December 15 on two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious material. He was arrested in December 2020 under a Beijing-imposed national security law that was used to quell protests and silence dissent, including the work of journalists.

The court also sentenced six Apple Daily editors and executives, who were arrested in 2021 and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces in 2022 in return for clemency on another charge, to jail terms of six to 10 years

CPJ has long advocated for the release of Lai, winner of CPJ’s 2021 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award, and the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and the European Union have also called for him to be freed.

‘Armed Only with a Camera’ celebrates the life of filmmaker Brent Renaud

CPJ welcomes the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ nomination of the HBO Original and Renaud Brothers documentary, “Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud,” for best documentary short film at the 98th Oscars. The winner will be announced on March 15.

Brent Renaud was killed on March 13, 2022, and is the only American journalist killed in the Russia-Ukraine war to date. According to CPJ, 23 journalists and media workers have been killed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“Amid the deadliest time on record for the press, ‘Armed Only with a Camera’ underscores the lengths conflict journalists go to report the news,” said CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg. “Brent Renaud was a fearless documentarian who dedicated his life to telling the stories of people caught in the crosshairs of global crises. Recognition of Brent’s life and career is a testament to all journalists who have risked their lives to document history.”

Four years on from the start of the Russia-Ukraine war and Brent’s killing, more than 400 journalists and media workers have been killed worldwide.

Act now: Help protect journalists

As threats to reporters continue to evolve in the wake of the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, CPJ’s newly launched U.S. Journalist Rapid Response Fund stands ready to respond quickly wherever and whenever emergencies arise.

The fund provides microgrants for protective equipment, safety training, psychosocial and medical support, and legal assistance when journalists are targeted. We are working to raise $25,000 by the end of the month to strengthen this fund and prepare for what may come next.