The son of pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai, who was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison by Chinese authorities, has said that the sentencing was expected but it makes it no less devastating.

The 78-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper was found guilty in December on two counts of foreign collusion under a sweeping national security law imposed by China, as well as one count of seditious publication.

The UN and EU have led a chorus of condemnation over the decision by a Hong Kong court to sentence Lai following his high-profile national security trial.

His sentence is by far the harshest under Hong Kong's national security law, which Beijing imposed in 2020 after huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in the former British colony.

Lai's case was widely criticised as an example of eroding political freedoms under the national security law. He has been in jail since 2020.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Sebastian Lai said his father smiled at the judges at the sentencing, which was a sign of his defiance and shows that they may have his body but not his spirit.

"They built up this whole show trial, had him in there for five years in solitary confinement this whole time," Mr Lai said.

"And so we expected a very strong, well, very heavy sentence, but it makes it no less devastating.

"One of the bittersweet moments, though, throughout it all, that does give me a little bit of courage, is that when the sentence was announced and my father was seen in court.

"He was stoic and he even smiled at the judges almost to tell them that though they have locked up his body, they don't have his spirit."

Mr Lai said that it was almost as if his father was still fighting and was still defiant, despite being put through a "completely horrible ordeal".

He said that because he advocates on his father's behalf, he himself cannot go back to Hong Kong as he is criticising Hong Kong's government.

Mr Lai said that he is "incredibly worried" about his 78-year-old father.

"This is very old for a man who's been kept in a maximum-security prison. He's been in solid confinement for the last five years.

"If you imagine 14 days of solitary confinement, prolonged solitary confinement, he's been there for 1,800 days," Mr Lai said.

"It's almost a miracle that he's still so strong in spirit and in faith."

Mr Lai said he will continue his campaign and bring more attention to his father's case.

He said that he would like to see Ireland join the many other countries and international institutions in calling for his father's release.

"Ireland, this great country that for human rights, that would help a lot," he said.

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China rejects global rebukes of Jimmy Lai sentence

Meanwhile, Beijing has said that it has lodged "solemn representations" with countries that condemned the 20-year prison sentence given to Lai.

Countries including the United States, Britain and Australia have spoken out against yesterday's sentence, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling it "unjust and tragic".

The European Union said it "deplores" Lai's sentencing and called for his "immediate and unconditional release", while Britain vowed to "rapidly engage further" on his case.

Asked about the criticism, China's foreign ministry said that "certain countries and institutions have used this judicial case… to maliciously smear Hong Kong".

"China firmly opposes this and has lodged solemn representations with the relevant countries and institutions," a spokesman said at a regular news briefing.

Additional reporting AFP

Sebastian Lai said that because he advocates on his father\u0027s behalf, he himself cannot go back to Hong Kong

\u003Cp\u003EJimmy Lai has been in prison since 2020\u003C/p\u003E