Jimmy Lai sentenced to 12 months in jail for unauthorized assembly

A court in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Friday sentenced Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, founder of Apple Daily and media group Next Digital, to 12 months in jail for organizing and taking part in unauthorized assembly.

Lai was also hit with two additional charges, including conspiracy to collude with foreign powers and to obstruct course of justice.

Martin Lee Chu-ming, a long-term protest leader, was given a suspended sentence of 11 months in the same case.

The case will be heard on June 15 to allow time for the investigation. Lai did not apply for bail.

The media tycoon and Lee were charged alongside seven former lawmakers over an unauthorized assembly in Hong Kong in August 2019.