Hong Kong court upholds minimum sentences for breaching China’s security law

Jailed university student Lui Sai-yu has lost his bid to reduce his five-year sentence for inciting secession in a landmark ruling by Hong Kong’s top court (Katie Tam/AP)

A jailed university student who pleaded guilty to inciting secession in Hong Kong lost his bid to reduce his five-year sentence in a court ruling on Tuesday that is expected to set the bar for other cases brought under the national security law imposed by Beijing.

Lui Sai-yu pleaded guilty in April 2022 and admitted that content on a Telegram channel he administered incited others to separate Hong Kong from China or alter the legal status of the city unlawfully.