Jimmy Lai Among 5 Hong Kong Democracy Activists Jailed

HONG KONG - Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai was jailed for 12 months on Friday along with four other veteran democracy activists for helping to lead one of the city's biggest-ever protests.

Organizers say 1.7 million people -- almost one quarter of Hong Kong's population -- turned out for a huge rally that formed the backbone of demonstrations that wracked the city throughout 2019. Lai was among nine of Hong Kong's most prominent democracy campaigners found guilty of organizing and participating in the rally. Many of them have spent decades advocating non-violence in their ultimately fruitless campaign for universal suffrage.