Jimmy Lai, a 78-year-old jailed Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and media entrepreneur, has been awarded Deutsche Welle’s 12th freedom of speech award for his contributions to Hong Kong's democracy movement [1]. The ceremony will be held in absentia on June 23, 2026, at the DW Global Media Forum in Bonn, Germany [1].
Deutsche Welle’s director general, Barbara Massing, praised Lai for his steadfast commitment to press freedom and democratic values through his now-closed news outlet Apple Daily. Massing said, "With Apple Daily, he gave journalists a platform for free reporting and a voice to the democracy movement in Hong Kong. His commitment reminds us that press freedom is never a given – it must be constantly defended. With the DW freedom of speech award, we honour his indispensable dedication to democratic values" [1].
Born in southern China in 1947, Lai moved to Hong Kong in 1960. He credits the people of Hong Kong for his life and described imprisonment as "redemption for the wonderful life the territory had given me" [1]. He became one of Hong Kong’s most prominent pro-democracy advocates, financially supporting democratic parties and taking part in mass protests in 2019 and 2020 [1].
Hong Kong authorities arrested Lai in 2020, accusing him of conspiring with foreign forces to impose sanctions on China and Hong Kong through his political connections and Apple Daily [1]. In February 2026, a Hong Kong court sentenced Lai to 20 years in prison on charges including conspiracy to collaborate with foreign forces and publishing seditious material under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020 [1].
The national security law drew criticism from rights groups as suppressive of dissent. Human Rights Watch and the British government condemned Lai's sentence as politically motivated and described the 20-year term as effectively a death sentence due to its length [1].
Lai is a British citizen and remains a symbol of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement despite his imprisonment [1]. The Deutsche Welle award ceremony in June will mark public recognition of his efforts from abroad while he remains incarcerated [1].
