HONG KONG, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- The ruling of Jimmy Lai's case has represented not only the fulfillment of justice, but also a clear warning to anyone who attempts to challenge legal boundaries, a spokesperson for the Commissioner's Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) said on Monday.
The sentence handed down in Lai's case has fully demonstrated the determination of Hong Kong's judiciary to safeguard national security and uphold the rule of law, the spokesperson said in an open letter to foreign media agencies based in Hong Kong.
The High Court of the HKSAR on Monday morning sentenced Lai, an instigator of anti-China riots in Hong Kong, to 20 years in prison.
Lai was found guilty in December by the High Court of the HKSAR on two charges of conspiring to collude with external forces and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious materials. Mitigation hearing for Lai's case began on Jan. 12 and concluded on Jan. 13.
The spokesperson stressed that the sentence for Lai has reflected the severity of his horrific crimes, and the evidence presented at the trial was overwhelming and conclusive.
Lai's actions far exceeded the bounds of protected speech, violated the rule of law and social order, jeopardized Hong Kong's stability and prosperity, and breached the fundamental principle of "one country, two systems," the spokesperson noted, adding that such acts amounted to serious criminal offenses that threatened national security.
The sentence passed on Monday, grounded in fact and law, is legally sound, justified, and incontestable, the spokesperson said.
In the letter, the spokesperson called on journalists of foreign media agencies based in Hong Kong to respect the independence of Hong Kong's judicial process, uphold journalistic professionalism, and report on the case with objectivity and fairness, refraining from politicizing legal matters.
A stable and prosperous Hong Kong serves the interests of all parties, the spokesperson said, urging all media friends to cherish the hard-earned stability of Hong Kong and present to the world a truthful, law-based, and open Hong Kong.
