A Hong Kong appellate court on Thursday quashed onetime media magnate Jimmy Lai’s fraud convictions linked to lease violations, in a rare victory in the prominent activist’s legal battles. On Thursday, the judges approved the founder of Apple Daily newspaper's challenge over a case tied to lease violations at his media business. Lai was convicted and sentenced to five years and nine months in prison in 2022 for two fraud charges. Earlier this month, Lai also was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his conviction under a China-imposed national security law. His plight has evoked grief over the city’s loss of press freedom.
